EXECUTION   OP   MART  STITABT. 


THE 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART, 

QUEEN  OF  SCOTS. 

By    M.    DE  MARLi:S, 

CONTINUATOR   OF   DK.  LINGARD. 

WITH  AN  APPENDIX,  CONTAINING  FIFTEEN  OF  MARY'S  LETTERS, 
AND  ADDITIONAL  NOTES. 

By    M.    I.  RYAN. 


MART    STXTART    ESCAPES    FROM    lOCHLEVEN  CASTLE.' 

Qui  per  virtutem  peritat,  non  interit. 

Plaut.,  in  Capiivis. 

 Nam  virtns  mihi 

In  astra  et  ipsos  fecit  ad  supercs  iter. 

Sen.,  de  Here.  (Elceo. 

FOURTH  THOUSAND. 

BOSTON : 
PATRICK  DONAIIOE,  23  FRANICLIN  STREET. 
18^37. 


f 

; 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1856,  by 
PATRICK  DONAHOE, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


BTEREOTTPED  AT  THE 
BOSTON   STEREOTTPE  FOUNDRY. 


PREFATORY. 


The  work  of  M.  de  Maries  has  now  been 
some  time  before  the  public,  and  the  number 
of  editions  through  which  it  has  gone  speaks 
forcibly  in  its  favor. 

The  author's  plain  statement  of  facts,  lucid 
explanations,  unanswerable  arguments,  and  logi- 
cal conclusions  will,  it  is  believed,  set  at  rest  the 
vexed  question  of  Mary's  innocence  or  culpability. 
It  proves  satisfactorily  that  Mary's  death  was 
sought,  as  Bishop  Milner  has  asserted,  "  merely 
because  she  was  a  Catholic,  and  heir  apparent  to 
the  crown." 

The  size  of  the  volume  has  precluded  the  cita- 
tion of  authorities  in  many  instances,  but  the 
reader  may  place  implicit  confidence  in  the  accu- 
racy of  the  author's  statements  ;  whenever  prac- 
1*  (5) 


6 


PREFATORY. 


ticable  the  ipsismna  verha  of  the  English  historian 
have  been  preserved. 

Many  notes,  mostly  extracted  from  works  of 
merit,  and  elucidatory  of  points  but  slightly 
touched  upon,  have  been  added  ;  and  in  the 
Appendix  will  be  found  some  of  Mary's  most 
interesting  letters. 


CONTENTS. 


Pagb 

IXTllODUCTIOX.      .  9 

CHAPTER  I. 

Birth  of  Mary  —  Troubles  during  her  Minority  —  She  is  conveyed 
to  France.        .      .  •  19 

CHAPTER  11. 

Continuation  of  Troubles  —  Reign  and  Death  of  Mary,  of  Eng- 
land —  Elizabeth  —  Peace  of  Cateau  Cambresis  —  Marriage 
of  Mary  Stuart.  48 

CHAPTER  in. 

Hatred  of  Elizabeth  to  ]\tary  —  Her  Apostasy  —  Death  of  Henry 
II.  —  Accession  of  the  Dauphin  and  Mary  73 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Death  of  Francis  II.  —  Mary's  Return  to  Scotland.   .       .  .'_^I16 

CHAPTER  V. 

Eeign  of  Mary  —  She  marries  Darnley  138 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Murder  of  Rizzio  —  Assassination  of  Darnley  162 

CHAPTER  VH. 

Parties  foraied  —  The  Queen  is  carried  off  by  Bothwell,  and 
forced  to  marry  him.  191 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Conspiracy  against  Bothwell  and  Mary  —  She  is  confined  in  a 
Castle,  from  whence  she  escapes  —  She  seeks  an  Asylum  in. 

England,  and  finds  only  a  Prison  208 

(7) 


8 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
Trial  of  Mary  —  The  York  Conferences  —  Attempts  to  escape 
discovered  233 

CHAPTER  X. 
Negotiations  with  Mary  —  Troubles  in  Scotland  ~  Execution  of 
Norfolk  264 

CHAPTER  XL 
Association  —  Troubles  —  Conspiracy  of  Babington  —  Mary  is 
implicated  in  it.  —  Her  Trial,  Condemnation,  and  Death.     .  292 


APPENDIX. 

Letter  No. 

1.  —  The  Queen  of  Scots  to  the  Archbishop  of  Glasgow.      .  331 

2.  —  Mary  to  Elizabeth  332 

3.  —  Mary  to  Elizabeth.  338 

4.  —  Mary  to  Elizabeth.  .  "  .  .  .  .343 
6.  —  Mary  to  Elizabeth.  .         .         .         . .  .348 

6.  —  Mary  to  Elizabeth.      .....  360 

7.  —  Mary  to  Elizabeth.  362 

8.  —  Mary  to  Mauvissiere.  |         ....  370 

9.  —  Mary  to  Mauyissiere.       .....  373 

10.  —  Mary  to  Mauvissiere.  .....  375 

11.  —  Mary  to  the  Duke  of  Guise.        .         .         .  .380 

12.  —  Mary  to  Pope  Sixtus  V  383 

13.  —  Mary  to  Le  Preau,  her  Almoner.  .        .  .385 

14.  Mary  to  the  Duke  of  Guise.  .  .  .  .387 
15  Mary  to  the  K.ing  of  France.      ....  390 


INTRODUCTIOlSr. 


James  V.,  King  of  Scotland,  had  freed  himself 
from  the  odious  guardianship  of  the  Earl  of 
Angus,  whose  devotedness  Henry  VIII.  had  pur- 
chased. This  sufficed  for  the  misunderstanding 
which  arose  between  the  two  princes ;  and  as 
courtiers  are  in  the  habit  of  espousing  the  quar- 
rels of  their  masters,  so  as  to  lay  claim  to  their 
favor,  the  frontier  governors  of  the  two  l^ing- 
doms  reciprocally  commenced  acts  of  hostility, 
which  would  have  certainly  led  to  war,  had  not 
the  amicable  intervention  of  Francis  I.  prevented 
it.  'When  the  uncle  and  nephew*  were  recon- 
ciled, at  least  in  appearance,  it  was  proposed  to 
give  as  a  spouse  to  the  King  of  Scotland  the 
princess  Mary,  daughter  of  Henry  VIH.  and 
the  unfortunate  infanta  of  Spain,  Catharine, 
whose  unfaithful  husband  had  sacrificed  her  to 

*  James  was  a  nephew  of  Henry,  a  sister  of  the  latter  being  hi8 
mother. 

.  (9) 


10 


INTRODUCTION. 


his  unbridled  lust.  Henry  at  first  had  seemed 
to  desire  this  union  ;  but  that  was  before  he  had 
extorted  a  sentence  of  divorce  from  the  iniqui- 
tous judges.  The  divorce  granted,  he  had  mar- 
ried Anne  Boieyn ;  and  he  then  feared  that  the 
children  of  Mary,  should  she  marry  the  king  of 
Scotland,  would  one  day  dispute  the  crown  with 
his  own  issue  by  the  woman  whom  he  had 
debauched  by  seating  her  on  a  defiled  throne  : 
he  refused  his  consent. 

Offended  at  this  refusal,  James  resolved  to 
solicit  a  consort  from  some  one  of  the  continental 
princes,  expecting  by  this  alliance  to  strengthen 
himself  against  the  King  of  England.  Henry 
divined  the  intention  of  his  nephew,  and  wished 
to  render  it  abortive  by  indu-ect  means.  He  at 
first  endeavored  to  gain  him  to  his  religious 
views  ;  if  James  would  adopt  these  and  abjure 
the  faith  of  his  fathers,  he  could  no  longer  count 
on  an  alliance  with  Catholic  princes  ;  and  it  was 
a  capital  stroke.  He  sent  his  agent  Barlow  to 
Scotland,  as  bearer  of  a  dogmatic  treatise  on  the 
spiritual  supremacy  of  princes.  James  received 
the  book  and  the  envoy  very  coldly ;  Barlow 
returned  dissatisfied,  and  revenged  himself  by 
abusive  language  and  calumnies  on  the  manner 
of  his  reception. 


INTRODUCTION. 


11 


Henry  was  not  disheartened  ;  he  demanded  an 
interview  of  his  nephew,  and  designated  the  city 
of  York  as  the  place  of  meeting.  But  James 
knew  the  Punic  faith  of  his  uncle,  and  took  care 
not  to  endanger  his  personal  safety  :  he  replied 
that  he  much  desired  an  interview,  provided  it 
took  place  in  France,  in  the  presence  of  Francis 
I.,  which  proposition  Henry  on  his  part  rejected. 
Negotiations  were  broken  off,  and  James  ex- 
pressed himself  for  France.  The  hand  of  Mary 
of  Bourbon,  a  French  princess,  was  offered  him  ; 
but  before  concluding  the  match  he  wished  to 
see  her,  and  under  pretence  of  joining  Francis, 
who  was  driving  the  Imperialists  from  Provence, 
whither  they  had  penetrated,  he  repaired  to  Di- 
eppe, saw  his  intended,  and,  not  finding  her  to  his 
taste,  rapidly  pursued  his  route  towards  Lyons. 
He  there  met  Francis,  who  brought  him  to  Paris. 
In  the  midst  of  the  fetes  and  pleasures  with 
which  Francis  surrounded  him,  James  entirely 
forgot  Mary  of  Bourbon. 

He  had  seen  Magdalen  of  France,  daughter 
of  the  king,  and  conceived  a  violent  passion  for 
her.  He  married  her ;  but  unhappily  the  health 
of  Magdalen  was  feeble  and  delicate :  scarcely  had 
she  arrived  in  Scotland  ere  she  fell  ill,  and  three 
months  had  not  elapsed  since  her  marriage,  when 


12 


INTRODUCTION. 


she  beheld  the  tomb  open  to  receive  her.  She 
descended  into  it  with  courage,  and  her  resigna- 
tion at  so  tender  an  age  increased  the  regret 
caused  by  her  loss.  For  several  months  James 
appeared  inconsolable.  But  there  is  no  grief 
that  time  does  not  assuage  :  the  following  §iear 
(1538)  he  espoused  Mary,  a  princess  of  Lor- 
raine, daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Guise  and  the 
Duchess  dowager  of  Longueville.-'^  James  in- 
creased his  glory  by  this  alliance,  as  the  virtuous 
Mary  had  refused  to  share  with  Henry  VIII.  the 
brilliant  throne  of  England. 

Henry  had  seen  with  grief  this  intimate  alli- 
ance between  Scotland  and  France.  In  his 
designs  of  conquest  and  proselytism,  he  flattered 
himself,  if  the  King  of  Scotland  had  no  allies, 
with  being  able  to  compel  him  without  difficulty 
to  acknowledge  th^e  doctrines  which  he  had  en- 
tailed upon  his  own  kingdom,  and  perhaps  even 
make  of  Scotland  an  English  province.  But 
sustained  by  France,  James  could  resist  success- 
fully ;  it  was  necessary,  then,  to  deprive  Scot- 
land of  this  support,  and  afterwards  profit  by  its 
isolated  position  to  subjugate  it.  Henry  decideiJ 
at  once,  if  the  negotiations  which  were  about 
to  be  resumed  did  not  prosper,  he  would  use 
force,  and  convert  those  with  his  sword  whom 


INTRODUCTION. 


13 


his  controversial  work  had  been  unable  to 
pervert. 

Sadler  was  sent  to  James  on  the  same  secret 
mission  that  Barlow  had  been,  and  he  demanded 
a  special  interview  with  the  king,  (1540,)  which 
James  granted.  Sadler  showed  him  a  pretend- 
edly  intercepted  letter  from  Cardinal  Beaton*  to 
his  agent  at  Rome  ;  he  was  using  his  influence, 
said  Sadler,  to  subject  the  royal  authority  to  the 
temporal  power  of  the  pope.  The  king  was 
pleased  to  reply  that  this  letter  was  well  known 
to  him,  and  that  before  its  transmission,  which 
had  taken  place  with  his  express  consent,  the 
cardinal  had  given  him  a  copy  of  it. 

"  My  master,"  replied  Sadler,  "  blushes  at 
your  weakness.  You  are  but  the  steward  of 
your  kingdom,  instead  of  being  its  sovereign. 
You  need  money ;  why  not  seize  the  goods  of 
the  church  ?  O,  in  the  dissolute  manners  of 
your  clergy  you  will  find  a  thousand  reasons 
which  should  justify  you  in  your  own  eyes,  if 
you  need  being  justified." 

"  Sadler,"  responded  the  king,  "  the  goods 
which  Heaven  has  given  me  are  sufficient.  I 
have  no  need  of  usurping  the  property  of  others. 

*  This  cardinal,  Archbishop  of  St.  Andrew's  and  Primate  of  Scot- 
land, had  succeeded  his  uncle  in  the  charge  of  the  archiepiscopal  see. 

2 


14 


INTRODUCTION. 


If  I  were  in  real  need,  the  clergy,  I  am  certain, 
would  come  magnanimously  to  my  assistance ; 
and  if,  unfortunately,  some  members  of  the  clergy 
profane  their  holy  ministry,  there  are  many  oth- 
ers who  merit  all  our  eulogies,  and  it  is  not  just 
to  punish  the  innocent  with  the  guilty." 

Henry's  envoy  then  turned  to  the  question  of 
policy.  He  desired  to  prove  to  the  King  of  Scot- 
land that  the  alliance  of  his  uncle  would  be  a 
thousand  times  more  advantageous  to  him  than 
that  of  France;  for,  after  the  death  of  Prince 
Edward,  who  was  in  ill  health,  he  would  become 
the  heir  presumptive  to  the  English  throne. 
Sadler  concluded  by  urging  the  king  to  accept 
the  interview  at  York.  The  king  thanked  him 
for  the  zeal  he  showed  for  his  interest,  but  very 
ingeniously  eluded  the  invitation  to  repair  to 
York. 

This  invitation  was  once  more  renewed,  and 
Henry  w^as  even  induced  to  believe  that  his 
nephew  would  accept.  It  is  added  that  in  gen- 
eral the  nobles  appeared  eager  enough  to  enrich 
themselves  at  the  expense  of  the  clergy,  and  that 
this  body,  which  did  not  wish  to  be  despoiled 
of  their  property,  opposed  them  energetically. 
Meanwhile  the  cardinal  departed  for  Rome. 
When  Henry  heard  of  his  departure  he  was  at 


INTRODUCTION. 


15 


first  much  disquieted,  since  he  imagined  that  the 
cardinal  had  only  travelled  through  France  to 
engage  Francis  to  enter  into  a  league  against 
him.  But  after  having  reflected  on  it,  he  rejoiced 
at  his  departure  :  he  thought  it  would  be  easier 
to  triumph  over  the  obstinacy  of  James,  who 
would  be  no  longer  sustained  by  the  presence 
and  influence  of  this  prelate.  Impressed  with 
this  idea  he  repaired  to  Yorkshire,  there  to  await 
his  nephew ;  but  James  persisted  in  his  refusal, 
for  he  feared  with  reason  that  if  once  his  uncle 
got  him  within  his  clutches,  he  would  not  restore 
him  to  liberty  until  after  he  had  constrained  him 
to  renounce  his  alliance  with  France  and  decline 
the  spiritual  jurisdiction  of  the  pope.  Henry 
returned  to  London,  much  irritated  at  his 
nephew ;  and  he  refused  for  a  long  time  to  receive 
the  Scottish  ambassador,  specially  charged  to  offer 
his  master's  excuses. 

Henry  was  fully  decided  on  having  recourse 
to  force  to  obtain  from  James  what  he  could  not 
draw  from  him  by  stratagem  ;  nevertheless,  be- 
fore commencing  the  war,  he  wished  to  sound 
the  court  of  France.  His  agents  informed  him 
by  letter  that  notwithstanding  all  the  good  will 
which  Francis  bore  to  the  King  of  Scotland,  the 
latter  could  scarcely  expect  any  assistance  from 


16 


INTRODUCTION. 


him,  on  account  of  the  embarrassment  which  the 
emperor*  caused  the  King  of  France  himself. 
Upon  that  Henry  no  longer  hesitated.  He  or- 
dered his  governors  of  the  frontier  to  commence 
hostilities,  and  soon  after,  to  revenge  himself  for 
a  check  received  in  the  beginning  by  his  arms, 
he  ordered  the  Duke  of  Norfolk  to  assemble  an 
army  in  York,  take  the  command  of  it,  and 
immediately  invade  Scotland.  James  was  not 
prepared  for  war ;  he  commenced  negotiations 
which  detained  the  Duke  of  Norfolk  in  York, 
but  in  a  few  days  the  duke  was  formally  ordered 
to  advance  into  Scotland. 

The  duke  obeyed,  and  had  the  deplorable 
advantage  of  delivering  to  the  flames  two  de- 
fenceless cities  and  twenty  villages.  After  this 
exploit,  the  want  of  provisions  obliged  him  to 
retire.  (1542.)  James  wished  to  pursue  the  Eng- 
lish, but  all  his  officers  remonstrated  with  him, 
as  —  should  the  same  misfortune  happen  to  him 
as  to  his  father  at  Flodden  Field  —  his  death 
would  leave  Scotland  exposed  to  become  the 
prey  of  his  uncle,  who  would  not  fail  to  claim 
his  inheritance  as  his  nearest  heir.  James 
yielded  only  in  part  to  the  counsel  of  his  offi- 
cers :  he  disbanded  the  troops  collected  around 

*  Charles  V. 


INTRODUCTIOxX. 


17 


him,  bat  immediately  proceeded  to  the  western 
frontier,  where  he  had  a  body  of  ten  thousand 
men,  whom  he  ordered  to  advance  into  England, 
and  spend  as  .many  days  there  as  Norfolk  had 
passed  in  Scotland. 

James  had  to  repent  of  having  yielded  to  mo- 
mentary wrath.  These  ten  thousand  men  per- 
ceived beyond  the  frontier  some  English  troops, 
seemingly  prepared  to  dispute  the  passage  ;  and 
whether  they  refused  to  fight  because  they  were 
commanded  by  an  unpopular  officer,  or  that  they 
imagined  they  were  to  oppose  Norfolk's  whole 
army,  they  dispersed  without  having  drawn  a 
sword,  and  fled  in  every  direction.  Twenty-four 
pieces  of  artillery  and  all  the  baggage  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  English,  and  one  thousand 
prisoners,  among  whom  were  two  earls,  five 
barons,  and  two  hundred  knights,  were  sent  to 
England  to  attest  a  victory  which  had  not  cost  a 
single  man. 

This  unexpected  disaster  grieved  the  heart  of 
James.  He  departed  ill  for  Edinburgh,  whence 
he  reached  the  solitary  manor  of  Falkland. 
Hardly  had  he  arrived,  when  he  was  seized  with 
a  fever,  which,  finding  him  already  undermined 
by  chagrin,  made  rapid  progress.  He  exph'ed 
2* 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

f 

on  the  14th  of  December,  twenty  days  after  the 
eventful  disaster  to  his  arms,  and  ^ight  days 
after  his  wife  had  given  birth  to  a  daughter. 
This  daughter,  born  under  such  sad  auspices, 
was  Mary  Stuart,  a  woman  as  accomplished  as 
she  was  unfortunate,  upon  whom  Nature  lav- 
ished all  her  gifts,  upon  whom  Misfortune  wore 
out  all  her  darts. 


LIEE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


CHAPTER  I. 

BIRTH  OP  MA.EY.  —  TROUBLES  DURING  HER  MINORITY.  —  SHE 
IS  CONVEYED  TO  FRANCE. 

The  birth  of  Mary  was  not  celebrated  by  pub- 
lic fetes,  and  no  joyful  strain  made  the  mountain 
echoes  resound  ;  she  enters  into  the  world,  over- 
whelmed with  her  mother's  tears,  opening  her 
eyes  before  a  tomb  which  awaits  its  prey,  receiv- 
ing life  and  losing  him  who  imparted  it  to  her. 
Scotland's  weeds  overhang  her  cradle,  funereal 
crape  girds  her  forehead ;  whilst  not  far  off, 
hostile  rivalries,  ambitious  designs,  are  being 
agitated ;  at  the  foot  of  the  tableau  Discord 
brandishes  her  torches,  and  the  flames  of  war 
'light  up  the  scene.  Two  parties,  equally  nu- 
merous and  powerful,  are  formed  about  the 
infant  royal :  the  one  wishes  to  subject  her  coun- 
try to  England,  the  other  to  save  it  by  relying 

(19) 


20 


LIFE   OF   MARY.  STUART. 


upon  France.  Henry  VIII.  had  no  sooner  re- 
ceived the  news  of  the  twofold  event  which 
gave  a  sovereign  to  Scotland  in  place  of  the 
deceased  king,  than,  immediately  abandoning  the 
part  of  converter,  to  be  assumed  thereafter,  he 
conceived  the  project  of  adding  Scotland  to  his 
kingdom,  destining  the  new-born  princess  as  a 
spouse  for  his  son.  If  the  Scottish  Parliament 
would  accept  his  proposition,  he  would  assume 
without  opposition  the  government  of  the  king- 
dom, either  as  father-in-law  or  as  grand-uncle  of 
the  queen.  The  Earl  of  Angus  and  Sir  George 
Douglas,  upon  whom  he  had  plentifully  bestowed, 
his  bounty,  the  Earls  of  Cassilis  and  Glencairn, 
Lords  Maxwdl,  Fleming,  Somerville,  Oliphant, 
and  Gray,  who  were  made  prisoners  in  the  un- 
fortunate affair  of  Solway  Moss,  were  taken  by 
Henry  into  his  confidence,  and  all  engaged  to 
serve  him  in  his  designs  :  the  two  former  acted 
through  gratitude,  the  others  through  the  hope 
of  being  soon  restored  to  liberty.  Nevertheless, 
Henry  did  not  allow  them  to  depart  until  he  had 
received  hostages  from  them  as  guarantees  of 
their  return  in  case  they  did  not'  succeed. 

In  vain  had  King  James,  before  dying,  ex- 
pressed in  a  will  his  last  wishes  ;  in  vain  had  he 
recommended  his  daughter  and  his  spouse  to 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


21 


the  lords  who  surrounded  him.  Hardly  had  he 
closed  his  eyes  than  his  entreaties,  his  recom- 
mendations, the  promises  he  had  obtained,  were 
all  forgotten.  To  see  these  courtiers,  humble 
and  cringing  before  their  master,  become  haughty 
and  fierce  when  this  master  was  no  more,  one 
would  say  that,  enemies  of  all  superiority,  they 
wished,  by  disobedience,  to  indemnify  themselves 
for  the  restraint  to  which  they  had  been  sub- 
jected; to  wash  themselves,  by  breaking  the 
idol,  of  the  humiliation  of  having  worshipped  it. 
When,  after  the  king's  death,  Cardinal  Beaton 
•—  called  by  the  French  Bethune  —  made  known 
the  will,  which  conferred  the  regency  upon  him- 
self, three  Scottish  lords  being  given  him  for 
colleagues,  no  account  was  taken  of  this  docu- 
ment, which  some  suspected  of  being  forged 
and  substituted,  whilst  it  was  rejected  by  others 
because  it  disposed  of  the  regency  in  favor  of 
persons  who  were  not  their  choice.  Several 
lords,  having  met  at  Edinburgh,  appointed  regent 
James  Hamilton,  Earl  of  Arran,  who  was,  more- 
over, regarded  as  heir  presumptive  to  the  throne, 
in  case  of  the  death  of  the  new  born.  Cardinal 
Beaton  agreed  to  an  arrangement  which  he  could 
not  prevent.  It  was  after  this  transaction  that 
the  two  exiles,  Angus  and  Douglas,  and  the 


22 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


prisoners  of  Solway  Moss*  arrived  at  Edin- 
burgh. 

The  English  party  was  strengthened  by  all 
those  men  whose  services  could  be  purchased. 
Nevertheless,  there  were  many  amongst  them 
^  who  interested  themselves  but  little  for  the  King 
of  England  :  they  only  desired  to  withdraw  safe 
and  sound  from  his  hands  those  whom  they  had 
left  as  hostages.  The  French  party  had  at  its 
head  the  queen  mother,  the  cardinal,  the  Earls 
of  Huntley,  Murray,  and  Argyle.  This  party 
could  count  more  on  the  cooperation  of  the 
members  of  the  clergy,  whom  the  fear  of  re- 
ligious innovation  would  have  alone  determined 
even  if  their  chief  motive  had  not  been  patriot- 
ism. The  nation  in  general  appeared  to  favor 
the  party  of  the  queen ;  for  it  hated  English 
domination  as  much  as  it  was  attached  to  France, 
its  ancient  and  loyal  ally. 

The  regent  was  in  great  embarrassment.  The 
opposition  which  he  had  received  from  Cardinal 
Beaton  would  have  impelled  him  from  spite  to 
join  the  English  party,  had  he  not  otherwise 
mistrusted  Henry's  projects.  He  was  well  aware 
that  whichever  party  prevailed,  his  own  rights  to 
the  succession  of  James  would  be  equally  en- 
dangered.   Henry,  to  terminate  his  hesitation, 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


23 


offered  him  the  hand  of  the  Princess  Elizabeth 
for  his  young  son ;  but  the  regent  understood 
that  this  offer  was  only  made  him  to  prevent  his 
son  espousing  the  young  queen  herself.  This 
reflection  did  not  prevent  him  from  pronouncing 
himself  in  favor  of  Henry ;  he  even  imprisoned 
the  cardinal,  under  the  pretext  that  the  latter  had 
engaged  the  Duke  of  Guise  to  raise  an  army  and 
send  it  to  Scotland  to  sustain  the  interests  of  the 
queen  mother  against  him.  (1543.) 

Meanwhile  Parliament  had  been  convoked,  and 
had  acted  upon  Henry's  propositions.  It  accepted 
that  which  proposed  the  marriage  of  Prince  Ed- 
ward and  the  queen,  but  rejected  all  the  others, 
which  treated  of  confiding  the  queen  to  his  care, 
as  well  as  the  administration  of  the  government 
and  the  occupation  of  all  fortified  places,  during 
her  minority.  It  was  believed  that  Scottish 
pride  would  revolt  against  such  exorbitant  preten- 
sions. Henry,  however,  persisted ;  and  when  the 
envoys  of  the  regent  informed  him  of  what  had 
passed,  he  did  not  dissemble  his  resentment. 
He  even  reproached  the  Earl  of  Angus  and  his 
adherents,  through  Sir  Ralph  Sadler,  complain- 
ing bitterly  of  having  been  badly  served  by 
them,  and  accusing  them  of  betraying  their 
promises. 


24 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


*  Angus  responded  that  his  friends  and  himself 
had  obtained  all  it  was  possible  to  obtain  under 
the  present  circumstances.  He  urgently  exhorted 
him  to  content  himself  provisorily  with  what  he 
had  obtained ;  all  the  rest,  added  the  earl,  will 
be  obtained  in  time,  but  we  can  only  proceed 
slowly.  If,  nevertheless,  he  had  not  patience  to 
wait,  he  could  invade  Scotland  with  an  army 
strong  enough  to  inspire  terror  ;  and  in  this  case 
the  loyal  Scot  would  engage  to  assist  the  dan- 
gerous enemy  of  his  country  with  all  his  forces. 
Henry,  who  to  all  his  faults  joined  much  obsti- 
nacy, resisted  for  three  months  the  advice  of  the 
Earl  of  Angus.  Being  finally  convinced  that 
the  longer  he  delayed  his  decision,  the  more  time 
he  allowed  the  French  party  to  gain  strength,  he 
signed  a  treaty  of  peace  between  the  two  king- 
doms ;  it  was  moreover  determined  that  Mary 
should  espouse  Prince  Edward,  and  that  so  soon 
as  she  attained  her  tenth  year  she  should  be  con- 
veyed to  England. 

Thus,  in  disposing  of  the  noble  daughter  of 
the  kings  of  Scotland,  they  wait  not  for  her  to 
form  a  vow,  a  desire  ;  they  stipulate  for  her,  and 
reckon  as  nought  neither  her  heart,  her  future 
affections,  nor  her  repugnances.  Such  is  the 
condition  of  kings  :  in  exchange  for  the  supreme 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART.  25 

power  which  society  confides  to  them,  it  is  de- 
sired that  they  devote  themselves  more  to  society 
than  to  their  families,  than  to  themselves.  But 
Heaven  sports  with  the  projects  of  men :  those 
of  the  King  of  England  were  not  to  be  accom- 
plished. Undoubtedly,  if  Mary  had  become  the 
wife  of  Edward,  her  head  would  have  been 
adorned  with  a  double  diadem  ;  perhaps  she 
would  even  have  given  to  England  an  heir  to 
the  throne.  But  assuredly  the  infant  Mary,  edu- 
cated in  the  midst  of  a  corrupt  court,  composed 
entirely  of  men  \vho  had  sold  their  consciences 
for  lucre  ;  delivered  to  a  fanatical  husband,  who 
impelled  proselytism  and  converting  zeal  still 
farther  than  his  father  ;  surrounded  by  seductions 
in  an  age  when  reason  could  not  make  itself 
heard,  —  Mary  would  have  yielded  :  she  would 
have  abjured  the  faith  of  her  fathers.  Hurried  at 
his  instigation  from  abyss  to  abyss,  she  would 
have  embraced  the  reformed  religion,  the  perisha- 
ble work  of  her  grand-uncle.  It  was  not  thus : 
God  wished  the  soul  of  Mary  for  himself,  and  in 
order  that  she  might  be  worthy  of  him,  he  desired 
to  preserve  her  incontaminate.  A  few  momentary 
weaknesses,  expiated  by  a  long  martyrdom,  have 
not  hindered  her  from  receiving  in  the  bosom  of 
her  Creator  the  reward  of  her  royal  virtues. 
3 


26 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


Meanwhile  Cardinal  Beaton  had  obtained  his 
liberty  from  the  regent  upon  certain  conditions, 
and  on  the  other  hand  Francis  had  transported 
assistance  in  money  and  ammunition,  which 
augmented  the  hope  cherished  by  the  queen's 
party.  An  unforeseen  circumstance  happened 
to  complicate  the  various  interests  which  then 
agitated  Scotland.  The  Earl  of  Lennox,  claim- 
ing to  be  the  sole  heir  in  case  of  Mary's  decease, 
demanded  the  regency,  which,  according  to  him, 
could  not  belong  to  the  Earl  of  Arran,  who  was 
only  an  illegitimate  son  of  James  IV.  The  car- 
dinal appeared  disposed  in  favor  of  Lennox ; 
Lennox  in  his  turn  assisted  the  cardinal  in  ren- 
dering his  party  dominant  in  the  northern  prov- 
inces of  Scotland,  by  taking  under  his  special 
charge  the  infant  royal  and  transporting  it  to 
Stirling  Castle,  one  of  the  strongest  in  the 
country. 

Henry  heard  of  this  translation  with  pain  ;  he 
feared  that  Mary  w^ould  be  sent  to  France,  and 
he  endeavored  to  prevent  it.  He  offered  the 
regent  the  assistance  of  an  English  army ;  he 
promised  him  anew  the  hand  of  Elizabeth  for 
his  son,  and  for  himself  the  sovereignty  of  Scot- 
land beyond  the  Frith  ;*  and  as  the  regent  did 

*  The  Frith  is  the  Bavigable  outlet  of  *e  River  Forth,  which 
laves  the  walls  of  Edinburgh. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


27 


not  respond  to  his  advances,  Henry  sided  with 
Lennox,  who  disagreed  with  the  cardinal,  be- 
cause the  cardinal  was  on  terms  of  agreement 
with  the  regent.  Lennox,  influenced  likewise  by 
his  passion  for  Margaret  Douglas,  daughter  of  the 
earl  of  Angus,  and  niece  of  Henry,  concluded  by 
joining  the  partisans  of  England.  They  were 
all  bound  by  an  oath,  similar  to  that  which  for- 
merly bound  the  brothers  in  arms,  to  live  and  die 
for  each  other.  Knowledge  of  this  compact  was 
obtained  through  a  copy  of  the  oath  found  upon 
Somerville,  who  was  arrested  by  the  order  of  the 
regent;  besides  this  copy  was  a  letter  to  King 
Henry,  asking  assistance  of  him. 

The  regent,  being  urged  then  by  the  pope's 
legate,  Mark  Germani,  and  by  the  French  am- 
bassador, Labroche,  decided  unwillingly  upon 
making  war.  He  commenced  by  convoking  Par- 
liament, which  assembled  on  the  3d  of  Decem- 
ber. After  a  warm  discussion,  it  was  declared 
that  the  friends  of  England  were  traitors  to  their 
country,  and  that  the  treaty  of  the  1st  of  July, 
was  null,  either  on  account  of  the  delay  of  Henry 
to  ratify  it,  or  because  he  had  permitted  and 
sanctioned  the  hostile  acts  of  his  frontier  gov- 
ernors, and  because  he  had  seized  many  mer- 
chant ships   belonging  to  the  inhabitants  of 


28 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


Edinburgh.  Notwithstanding  this  formal  de- 
claration, the  Earl  of  Arran  endeavored  to  resume 
negotiations  ;  but  the  king,  who  regarded  him 
as  alone  culpable,  would  hear  nothing,  and  during 
the  month  of  May,  (1544,)  Seymour,  earl  of  Her- 
fort,  and  uncle  of  Prince  Edward,  arrived  in  the 
Frith  with  an  armed  body  of  ten  thousand  men. 
He  demanded  that  the  young  queen  be  dehvered 
to  him ;  and,  upon  the  regent's  refusal,  disem- 
barked his  troops,  and  marched  to  Edinburgh, 
where  he  was  joined  by  a  body  of  five  thousand 
knights,  who  came  from  Berwick.  The  next 
day  he  forced  the  gate  of  the  city,  which  was 
delivered  up,  for  four  days,  to  pillage  and  in- 
cendiarism. After  this  noble  exploit,  and  upon 
the  news  that  the  regent  was  collecting  his  troops, 
Seymour  gave  the  order  to  retreat.  He  burned, 
as  he  passed,  the  cities  of  Seaton,  Haddington, 
and  Dunbar,  whilst  his  fleet  burned  Leith  and 
demolished  the  pier ;  he  arrived  at  Berwick  with- 
out having  suffered  much  loss. 

This  war  lasted  nearly  three  years;  on  each 
side  were  cities  ruined,  territory  devastated,  and 
much  blood  spilled;  yet  Henry's  demands  had 
not  been  acceded  to.  Lennox,  on  marrying 
Margaret  Douglas,  had  promised  Henry  his 
castle  of  Dumbarton  ;  but  the  indignant  garrison 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART.  2^ 

closed  the  gates  of  the  fortress,  refused  to  receive 
Lennox  himself,  and  shortly  afterwards  delivered 
the  place  to  the  regent.  The  barbarous  Henry, 
hearkening  only  to  his  wrath,  ordered  the  throats 
of  the  Scottish  hostages,  who  were  confined  at 
Carlisle,  to  be  cut.  Surely,  if  before  the  war  the 
Scots  were  opposed  to  English  rule,  the  manner 
in  which  they  were  treated,  and  the  massacre  of 
the  hostages,  no  longer  allowed  them  to  see  in 
Henry  but  an  odious  tyrant,  an  enemy  of  God 
and  man,  seeking  to  extinguish  his  unjust  resent- 
ment in  the  blood  of  the  people. 

Unhappily  for  Scotland,  the  King  of  France 
was  only  able  to  send  a  small  body  of  troops. 
Obliged  to  defend  himself  at  the  same  time 
against  his  eternal  enemy,  Charles  V.,  and  against 
Henry,  his  old  friend  and  the  perfidious  instiga- 
tor of  this  war,  he  had  need  of  all  his  resources 
for  himself,  and  was  constrained  to  neglect  Scot- 
land. This  was  what  Henry  desired,  who,  be- 
sides, to  color  his  aggression,  spoke  very  haugh- 
tily of  his  three  grievances  against  Francis ;  fo- 
menting the  troubles  in  Scotland,  and  furnishing 
succor  of  every  kind  to  those  whom  he  styled 
rebels ;  that  is  to  say,  to  the  partisans  of  the 
young  queen  and  the  regent,  the  enemies  of  Eng- 
lish sovereignty;  of  wishing  to  seize  Mary,  to 
3* 


30 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


convey  her  to  France  in  order  to  hinder  the  future 
union  of  Scotland  and  England  by  the  marriage 
of  the  heir  of  the  kingdom  with  Prince  Edward ; 
of  having  said  —  and  this  was  Henry's  principal 
charge,  being  a  new  prophet,  who  wished  that 
his  opinions  and  acts  should  be  for  the  whole 
world  acts  of  faith  —  that  his  marriage  with  Anne 
Boleyn  was  null,  and  that  he  had  only  contracted 
it  by  violating  his  promise  not  to  marry  this 
woman. 

It  is  true  that  Barnet  published  a  statement  in 
which  it  is  contended  that  Francis  had  declared 
that  Henry's  marriage  with  Catharine,  his  broth- 
er's widow,  was  radically  null ;  that  consequently 
that  of  Anne  was  valid,  and  that  the  pope's  de- 
cision in  the  affair  was  the  consequence  of  error 
and  injustice.  Barnet  went  farther:  Francis, 
according  to  him,  obligated  himself  and  his  suc- 
cessors to  maintain  this  opinion  by  arms.  As 
this  paper  has  neither  date  nor  signature,  it  is 
presumable  that  it  was  fabricated  in  England, 
presented,  perhaps,  to  the  King  of  France,  and 
rejected  by  him ;  who,  according  to  the  testimony 
of  Cardinal  Pole,  responded  to  the  warm  solici- 
tations of  Henry  on  the  subject  of  the  divorce: 
"  I  am  and  wish  to  be  his  friend,  hut  only  to 
the  altar. 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


31 


Charles  V.,  who  was  as  dishonest  as  he  was 
powerful,  was  much  less  scrupulous  than  the 
King  of  France,  and  he  was  easily  persuaded  by- 
Henry  ;  for  since  the  natural  death  of  Catharine 
—  the  emperor's  aunt  —  and  the  violent  death 
of  Anne  Boleyn  —  she  was  decapitated  —  there 
was  no  longer  any  subject  for  misunderstand- 
ing between  them,  and  nothing  should  hinder 
them  from  uniting  against  France.  The  emperor 
modestly  exacted  one  condition :  he  wished  the 
Princess  Mary,  daughter  of  Catharine,  to  be  re- 
established in  her  rank  of  legitimate  daughter  of 
the  king,  and  consequently,  in  all  her  rights  to 
the  succession.  This  was  placing  Henry  in  great 
embarrassment ;  for  this  recognition  of  the  rights 
of  the  daughter  proved  explicitly  the  rights  of 
the  mother ;  Parliament  complaisantly  upheld 
him  in  this  evil  course,  declaring  Mary  capable 
of  succeeding,  without  making  any  mention  of 
her  legitimacy;  it  was  a  kind  of  compromise 
between  the  exigencies  of  the  emperor  and  the 
old  hatred  of  Henry.  It  was  agreed  between 
them,  by  the  treaty  of  the  11th  of  February, 
1543,  that  they  would  jointly  summoji  Francis 
I.  to  renounce  his  alhance  with  the  Porte,  to  re- 
pay all  the  damage  which  might  have  resulted 
to  individual  Christians  by  this  impious  alii- 


33 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


ance  *  by  paying  to  the  King  of  England  the  ar- 
rears of  the  pension  which  he  claimed  from  him, 
and  by  giving  him  security  for  the  payment  of  ex- 
piring annuities.  Finally,  if  the  King  of  France 
did  not  settle  these  sums  in  forty  days  from  his 
acceptance  of  these  conditions,  the  emperor  would 
reclaim  the  duchy  of  Bm-gundy,  and  the  King  of 
England  would  claim  all  the  possessions  of  his 
predecessors  in  France. 

Francis  did  not  even  v,'ish  to  hear  the  herald 
who  was  sent  to  notify  him  of  the  demand  of 
the  allied  princes.  They  expected  a  refusal,  and 
were  prepared  for  war  ;  Francis  had  not  believed 
the  danger  imminent;  besides,  he  could  not  pre- 
vent his  kingdom  being  invaded  by  Luxembourg 
and  Calais.  The  emperor,  not  meeting  with 
any  resistance,  had  penetrated  into  the  heart  of 
Champagne  ;  but  provisions  suddenly  failed  him, 
and  it  would  have  been  very  easy  for  Francis  to 
starve  him  in  his  camp,  and  force  him  to  sur- 
render without  fighting,  had  not  the  Duchess  of 

*  It  is  strange  enough  to  hear  Charles  Y.  and  Henry  YIII.  hold 
such  language  —  one,  who  besieged  the  pope  in  Home,  and  caused 
prayers  to  be  offered  up  in  Spain  for  his  deliverance,  the  ally  of  the 
Bey  of  Tunis,  the  assassin  of  his  brothers,  the  protector  of  all  the  sec- 
tarians of  Germany,  &c. ;  the  other,  the  enraged  enemy  of  Catholi- 
cism, and  the  founder  of  a  pretended  religion,  "which  was  ■v^■ith  him 
but  the  worship  of  the  passions. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


33 


Etampes,  abusing  the  silly  confidence  of  the 
king,  given  him  the  advice  which  saved  him  and 
his  army.  -The  treaty  of  Cressy  (September, 
1544)  terminated  the  war  with  the  emperor. 
Henry,  on  his  side,  made  himself  master  of 
Boulogne,  and  returned  to  England  in  the  fol- 
lowing winter.  Francis  resolved  to  let  fall  upon 
Henry  the  whole  weight  of  his  resentment ;  he 
equipped  a  numerous  fleet,  and  insulted  with  im- 
punity the  coasts  of  England,  but  could  not  take 
Calais,  or  retake  Boulogne. 

This  bad  success,  which  was  unjustly  imputed 
to  the  general  of  the  French  army,  had  damped 
the  bellicose  spirit  of  the  King  of  France,  whilst 
the  King  of  England  was  no  less  tired  of  a  war 
in  which  was  to  be  gained  neither  profit  nor 
honor ;  propositions  of  peace  were  made,  and  a 
brief  armistice  was  concluded,  which  was  prof- 
ited by  to  regulate  the  conditions  of  the  treaty. 
It  was  agreed  that  for  the  future  Francis  should 
pay  the  pension  stipulated  in  1526 ;  *  that  commis- 

*  This  was  during  the  captivity  of  Francis,  after  the  battle  of  Pa- 
via.  The  French  cabinet  then  purchased  peace  of  England,  and  the 
renunciation  of  its  ancient  claims,  for  the  sum  of  two  millions  of 
golden  crowns,  and,  moreover,  an  annual  and  for  life  pension  of  two 
hundred  thousand  crows,  which  would,  nevertheless,  only  commence 
after  the  capital  of  two  millions  should  be  paid  at  convenient  pe- 
riods. 


34 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


sioners  should  be  appointed  to  settle  a  pretended 
debt  of  Henry  of  six  million  crowns;  that  the 
King  of  England  should  restore,  in  eight  years, 
the  city  of  Boulogne,  upon  Francis's  paying  him 
the  sum  of  two  millions  of  crowns.  Thus  this 
was  only  a  monetary  treaty,  by  which  Henry, 
who  was  supposed  to  be  the  richest  prince  of 
Europe,  sought  the  whole  advantage.  (June, 
1546.) 

Heaven  did  not  permit  his  cupidity  to  be 
glutted  in  enjoyment,  nor  his  eyes  to  be  gratified 
by  the  sight  of  this  gold,  for  which  alone  he 
seemed  to  have  combated  for  many  years.  Worn 
out  by  pleasures,  fatigued  by  excesses,  he  scarce- 
ly supported  the  weight  of  his  body ;  he  was, 
besides,  not  of  an  advanced  age,  —  he  was  only 
fifty-six  years  of  age,  —  but  he  had  become  so 
enormously  fat  that  he  could  no  longer  sustain 
himself,  and  it  was  only  with  the  assistance  of 
an  easy  chair  on  wheels  that  he  could  pass  from 
one  apartment  to  another.  He  had  not  even 
strength  to  sign  his  despatches  ;  three  secretaries 
were  constantly  near  him,  to  attach  to  docu- 
ments requiring  his  signature  a  dry  stamp,  bear- 
ing the  name  of  the  king,  and  to  follow  the  traces 
marked  by  the  stamp  with  a  pen.  To  this  ex- 
traordinary corpulence  was  added  an  ulcer  in  the 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


35 


thigh,  which  had  more  than  once  threatened  his 
life,  and  which,  at  this  epoch,  defied  all  the  art 
of  the  physicians.  The  acritude  of  his  temper- 
ament, his  habitually  irritated  state,  his  sus- 
picions, his  fears  of  all  about  him,  contributed 
not  a  little  to  increase  his  malady.  He  died  on 
the  night  of  the  28th  of  January,  1547. 

Francis  was  at  St.  Germain  when  he  re- 
ceived the  news  of  Henry's  death.  He  was  so 
much  the  more  grievously  affected  by  it  because, 
being  about  the  same  age,  —  fifty-three  years,  — 
he  had  for  a  long  time  feared  that  his  career  was 
about  to  close.  Francis  had,  in  fact,  ruined  his 
health  in  his  more  tender  years  by  intemperance, 
and,  slowly  consumed  by  the  malady,  he  felt 
that  premature  old  age  would  have  but  a  short 
term;  he  survived  his  eldest  brother — thus  he 
called  the  King  of  England — only  two  months. 
"  My  eldest  brother  is  gone ! "  exclaimed  he, 
sighing ;  "  my  turn  is  not  far  off." 

The  Scots  learned  the  death  of  Francis  with 
much  sorrow ;  for  they  lost  a  protector,  and  they 
knew  not  if  Henry,  his  successor,  would  take 
the  same  interest  in  them  and  their  sovereign. 
It  was  known,  however,  that  the  princes  of  Lor- 
raine would  have  great  influence  at  Paris,  the 
queen  mother  being  the  sister  of  the  Duke  of 

1 


36  LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 

Guise ;  and  this  circumstance  gave  much  hope ; 
it  was  known  besides  that  this  prince  hated 
the  English ;  he  had,  then,  a  double  motive  for 
watching  the  welfare  of  Scotland,  as  much  as 
his  own  welfare  in  France  would  permit  him. 
His  protection  appeared  to  be  so  much  the  more 
necessary  as  Cardinal  Beaton,  the  zealous  fol- 
lower of  the  house  of  Stuart,  had  been  treach- 
erously assassinated. 

Henry  VHI.  had  not  forgiven  him  for  with- 
drawing Mary  from  his  pursuit;  and  he  had  not 
rejected  the  offer  which  had  been  made  by  Wil- 
liam Kirkaldi,  Wishart,  and  some  others,  to 
deliver  him  by  assassination  from  the  trouble- 
some prelate,  whom  he  always  found  in  his  way. 
Not  to  repel  a  proposition  of  this  kind  with  the 
indignation  which  it  would  have  excited  in  an 
honest  soul,  was  to  authorize  the  murder,  to 
order  its  execution.  Nevertheless,  two  years 
passed  before  the  commission  of  the  crime ;  the 
prudence  and  activity  of  the  cardinal  had  ren- 
dered abortive  all  the  attempts  directed  against 
his  life ;  but  at  the  end  of  that  time,  George 
Wishart,  starting  as  a  preacher,  had  publicly 
sought  to  propagate  the  new  doctrine ;  he  joined 
to  impiety  the  spirit  of  revolt,  and  with  the 
new  gospel  he  preached  insurrection.    He  was 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


37 


arrested,  tried,  and  condemned,  as  seditious  and 
heretical ;  and  from  that  time  the  death  of  the 
cardinal  was  sworn  anew.  Profiting  by  the 
negligence  of  the  warder,  the  murderers  entered, 
about  daybreak,  the  Castle  of  St.  Andrew's,  where 
the  cardinal  was,  and  penetrating  even  to  his 
chamber,  there  killed  him.  The  assassins  were 
sustained  by  the  partisans  of  reform,  and  all  to- 
gether demanded  the  protection  of  the  King  of 
England  :  this  protection  was  granted  them. 

The  Scots  had  been  comprised  in  the  treaty 
of  peace  of  June,  1546 ;  but  Henry  would  not 
subscribe  to  any  other  condition  than  to  abstain 
from  hostility  so  long  as  he  was  not  attacked. 
On  his  side,  the  Earl  of  Arran  previously  exacted 
the  remittal  of  the  forts  which  the  English  occu- 
pied, and  he  moreover  wished  that  the  assassins 
of  the  cardinal  should  be  delivered  up  to  justice. 

After  some  fruitless  negotiations,  Arran  be- 
sieged the  murderers  in  St.  Andrew's ;  but  at  the 
commencement  of  the  month  of  February,  1547, 
he  was  obliged  to  raise  the  siege,  in  order  to  pre- 
side over  the  assembly  of  the  three  orders  of  the 
nation.  The  death  of  Henry  caused  no  change, 
in  the  policy  of  the  cabinet  of  St.  James,  and  the 
Earl  of  Herfort,  created  Duke  of  Somerset  and 
regent  of  the  kingdom,  under  the  title  of  Pro- 
4 


38 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


lector^  made  two  treaties  with  the  murderers.  In 
one,  the  latter  engaged  to  do  all  in  their  power 
to  speed  the  projected  union  of  the  Queen  of 
Scotland  and  the  infant  King  of  England,  and 
not  to  deliver  up,  under  any  pretext,  possession 
of  the  castle  without  the  written  consent  of  the 
king  and  the  protector.  In  the  other  they  con- 
tracted the  infamous  obligation  of  joining  the 
English  army,  which  would  enter  Scotland  to 
seize  the  person  of  Mary,  and  to  deliver  the 
castle  to  English  commissioners,  as  soon  as 
Mary  should  be  in  the  power  of  Edward,  and 
the  marriage  celebrated. 

These  disloyal  agreements  were  followed  by 
their  desired  reward  —  pensions,  largesses,  gold ; 
gold,  that  agent  of  corruption,  which,  for  so 
many  ages,  the  worldly  happy  have  used  to  re- 
ward treason,  forgetfulness  of  duties,  and  bar- 
tered consciences. 

The  governor  was  fortunately  informed  of  the 
second  treaty ;  it  was  easy  for  him  to  divine  the 
rest,  and  prepare  to  subvert  the  intentions  of  the 
protector,  Somerset.  He  immediately  published 
a  proclamation,  calling  upon  all  loyal  men  to 
repair,  within  forty-eight  hours,  to  a  place  indi- 
cated, with  a  month's  provision.  Scotland,  said 
he,  threatened  with  an  invasion  by  her  eternal 


\ 

\ 

LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART.  39 

enemy,  appeals  to  all  her  children.  For  more 
security,  the  governor  had  recourse  to  the  new 
King  of  France,  Henry  IL,  in  whose  name  were 
solemnly  renewed  the  treaties  of  alliance  existing 
between  the  two  kingdoms ;  moreover,  prompt 
assistance  in  men  and  money  was  promised. 

The  English  lords,  who  resided  upon  the  fron- 
tier, being  animated  by  the  hope  of  pillage,  an- 
ticipated the  preparing  hostilities,  and  made 
many  irruptions  into  Scotland.  Arran  hastened 
with  many  troops ;  he  even  proposed  besieging 
Langhope  and  Cawmyllis,  which  would  serve 
as  exercise  grounds  and  resting  points  for  the 
aggressors,  when  he  received  the  happy  news 
that  Strozzi,  prior  of  Capua,  had  brought  him 
several  French  galleys,  laden  with  troops.  A 
junction  having  been  formed  with  these,  the 
combined  army  invested  the  Castle  of  St.  An- 
drew's. In  a  little  time  the  French  artillery 
opened  a  considerable  breach,  and  the  garrison, 
not  wishing  to  be  exposed  to  the  consequences 
of  an  assault,  surrendered  on  the  sole  condition 
of  having  their  lives  spared.  The  governor  de- 
molished the  entire  fortification,  in  order  that  if, 
during  the  course  of  the  war,  the  castle  should 
refall  into  the  hands  of  the  English,  they  could 
not  make  of  it  a  fortified  position. 


40 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART, 


In  the  interim,  the  regent  did  not  forget  the 
object  of  the  treaties,  and  when  he  had  concluded 
his  preparations,  which  was  in  the  month  of 
August,  he  invaded  Scotland  with  an  army  of 
twenty  thousand  men,  whilst  a  fleet  of  twenty- 
four  galleys,  followed  by  as  many  transports, 
sailed  along  the  coast  without  losing  sight  of 
the  army  on  land.  Arran  made  use  of  the  sig- 
nals used  by  one  clan*  with  another,  designating 
Musselburg  as  the  rendezvous;  but  so  many 
came  thither  that  the  governor,  whom  this  mul- 
titude would  have  embarrassed,  selected  only 
thirty  thousand  men,  and  dismissed  all  the  others. 
He  soon  set  out  to  arrest  the  progress  of  the 
enemy,  and  a  rencounter  of  ^avalry  took  place 
shortly  after  at  Falside,  in  which  there  was  noth- 
ing decisive.  The  next  day,  (September  10,) 
the  governor  having  crossed  the  River  Esk,  the 
protector  seized  the  neighboring  eminence,  called 
Pinkencleugh.  This  double  movement  caused 
a  great  battle,  in  which  Fortune  declared  herself 
against  the  Scots.    Victory  had  appeared  at  first 

The  signals  which  were  formerly  used  in  Scotland  to  announce 
a  hostile  invasion  consisted  of  two  lighted  torches,  attached,  in  the 
form  of  a  cross,  to  tha  end  of  a  lance.  At  this  signal  every  Scot  was 
bound  to  hasten  to  arms  to  aid  in  repelling  the  aggression.  A  Scot- 
tish tribe  was,  and  is  still,  designated  by  the  name  of  elan. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


41 


in  their  favor,  and  the  English  cavalry  had  been 
routed ;  but  the  Scottish  Highlanders,  pursuing 
them,  were  themselves  soon  attacked  by  fresh 
and  veteran  troops,  who  put  them,  in  their  turn, 
to  complete  rout  The  victory  was  principally 
determined  by  a  battery  which  Somerset  had 
planted  on  an  eminence,  and,  above  all,  by  the 
artillery  from  the  galleys.  The  Earl  of  Huntley, 
chancellor  of  Scotland,  and  Lords  Yester  and 
Wemyss  were  made  prisoners.  It  is  said  the 
loss  of  the  vanquished  amounted  to  eight  thou- 
sand men. 

The  protector  pursued  his  advantage ;  he 
marched  upon  Leith,  which  he  delivered  up  for 
four  days  to  pillage ;  he  devastated  all  the  sur- 
rounding villages  ;  and,  after  this  singular  exploit 
by  a  man  who  wished  to  gain  the  Scots  to  the 
cause  of  the  King  of  England,  he  hastily  retired, 
followed  closely  by  the  governor,  who  had  rallied 
a  body  of  cavalry.  This  precipitate  retreat,  after 
a  brilliant  victory,  surprised  the  enemies  of  the 
English  as  much  as  it  afflicted  their  partisans, 
who  were  exposed  defenceless  to  the  governor's 
resentment.  Somerset  was  in  no  need  of  pro- 
visions ;  the  winter  had  not  yet  commenced  ;  and 
he  could  not  fear  the  enemy  whom  he  had  over- 
come. "What  motive  had  he  then  in  hurrying  far 
4* 


42 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


away  from  the  theatre  of  his  glory  ?  Some  be- 
lieve that,  intoxicated  with  success,  he  wished  to 
enjoy  it  before  the  people  of  London ;  others  are 
of  the  opinion,  perhaps  with  more  reason,  that 
his  authority  had  made  many  persons  discon- 
tented, at  whose  head  was  his  own  brother,  the 
lord  admiral ;  that  their  secret  manoeuvres  men- 
aced his  power,  and  that  he  only  returned  in  order 
to  subvert  the  plan  of  his  enemies. 

The  check  received  by  the  Scots  did  not  ren- 
der them  better  disposed  towards  the  English 
than  they  had  previously  been ;  their  antipathy, 
as  might  be  expected,  only  increased,  and  the 
thought  alone  of  the  marriage  of  their  queen  with 
the  odious  King  of  England  excited  as  violent 
murmurs  in  the  thatched  cots  of  the  Highland- 
ers as  in  the  hotels  of  Edinburgh.  It  is  prob- 
able, however,  that  this  marriage  would  have 
been  really  advantageous  for  Scotland ;  but  how 
change  into  sentiments  of  affection  the  inveter- 
ate hatred  which  the  descendants  of  the  Picts 
had  always  preserved  towards  the  descendants 
of  the  Britons  ?  How  wish  that  Scotland,  which 
had  so  often  fought  for  her  independence,  should 
become  in  a  day  an  English  province?  How 
think,  above  all,  that  the  religion  of  the  country 
—  Scotland  was  yet  Catholic  —  must  be  altered, 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


43 


corrupted,  annihilated,  by  contact  with  the  im- 
pious doctrines  of  Henry  VIIL,  aggravated  still 
by  young  Edward  ?  It  was  not  enough  to  de- 
liver to  this  prince  the  cherished  person  of  their 
young  queen ;  it  was  necessary,  besides,  that  the 
religion  of  the  passions,  created  by  Henry,  should 
blemish  the  new  and  candid  soul  of  Mary. 
These  were  thoughts  which  all  the  Scots  ab- 
horred. 

Some,  and  especially  the  Earl  of  Huntley,  de- 
scribed the  ingenious  method  which  the  English 
put  in  practice  to  gain  the  hearts  of  the  Scots — ' 
to  make  war  with  Scotland,  pillage  its  cities, 
burn  and  devastate  its  lands,  massacre  its  in- 
habitants !  Surely  it  was  an  entirely  new  mode 
of  causing  themselves  to  be  beloved  by  the  peo- 
ple ;  and  the  protector  should  undoubtedly  con- 
gratulate himself  on  the  great  advantages  he 
gained  by  the  victory.  The  Earl  of  Huntley  was 
right,  and  the  protector  soon  perceived  that  he 
had  only  added  with  his  own  hand  insuperable 
obstacles  to  the  obstacles  which  natural  preju- 
dices opposed  to  him. 

Many  Scottish  lords,  having  assembled  at  Stir- 
ling, resolved  to  invoke  the  assistance  of  France, 
the  ancient  and  faithful  ally  of  Scotland.  It 
was  also  resolved  in  this  assembly  to  offer  the 


44 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


dauphin  the  hand  of  the  young  Maiy,  upon  whose 
infantine  figure  were  already  to  be  seen  the  deli- 
cate traits  of  beauty,  in  her  words  a  touching 
grace,  in  her  least  actions  all  the  goodness  of  a 
generous  heart.  They  added,  that,  for  greater 
security,  it  would  be  meet  to  send  Mary  to  the 
court  of  France,  where  she  would  be  educated 
under  the  eyes  of  the  king  and  her  uncles,  the  Duke 
of  Guise  and  the  Cardinal  of  Lorraine.  (1547.) 

On  his  side,  the  protector,  to  repair  the  evil 
which  he  had  performed  on  his  vandalic  expedi- 
tion to  Leith,  caused  to  be  circulated  through  all 
parts  of  the  kingdom  a  proclamation,  in  English 
and  Latin,  in  which  he  imputed  all  the  mis- 
fortunes of  the  war  to  the  Earl  of  Arran  and  his 
associates.  "  Scots,"  said  he,  "  to  whom  will 
you  marry  your  young  queen?  To  a  foreign 
prince  ?  Your  country  will  then  become  de- 
pendent on  this  foreign  prince  ;  you  will  append 
it  to  his  crown.  Will  you  give  her  to  one  of 
your  peers  ?  Alas  !  you  will  perpetuate  the  old 
quarrel  which  divides  our  two  kingdoms.  For 
eight  ages  no  occasion  so  favorable  as  the  present 
one  has  offered  to  crush  forever  the  germ  of  our 
divisions.  Your  young  queen  and  our  young 
king,  by  uniting  their  crowns,  would  preserve  to 
Scotland  her  laws  and  liberties :  the  Scots  and 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


45 


English  would  be  henceforth  but  one  people, 
under  the  common  name  of  Britons,  and  there 
would  arise  for  both  a  new  era  of  happiness." 

Confiding  little  in  the  power  of  his  eloquence, 
the  protector  committed  the  same  fault  he  had 
already  committed ;  he  wished  to  sustain  his 
proclamation  by  arms,  and  Lord  Gray  arrived, 
followed  by  a  powerful  army.  The  city  of  Dal- 
keith was  reduced  to  ashes ;  that  of  Haddington 
was  garrisoned  by  soldiers,  who  were  principally 
English  and  Italians.  At  the  moment  when 
Lord  Gray  was  preparing  to  return  to  England, 
a  French  squadron  anchored  at  Leith,  bringing 
two  thousand  French  and  three  thousand  Ger- 
man veterans,  commanded  by  the  brave  D'Esse. 
Arran  joined  him  with  eight  thousand  men,  and 
the  siege  of  Haddington  was  soon  undertaken  and 
vigorously  carried  on.  Nevertheless,  although 
the  breach  was  already  practicable,  D'Esse  did 
not  wish  to  assault  the  place,  lest  the  Scots,  yet 
little  inured  to  discipline,  would  lose  courage  in 
case  of  evil  success;  and  he  preferred  turning 
the  siege  into  a  blockade — a  more  protracted  but 
surer  means  of  reducing  the  place. 

Whilst  the  blockade  lasted,  Arran  had  con- 
voked the  estates  of  the  kingdom  in  a  monastery 


46 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


adjacent  to  the  city.  The  decision  which  the 
lords  had  taken  at  Stirling  was  then  fully  con- 
firmed, and  a  treaty  of  alliance  exchanged  be- 
tween the  governor  and  the  French  ambassador. 
Dessoles,  Labrosse,  and  Villegagnon,  the  com- 
manders of  the  squadron,  soon  set  sail  with  a 
fair  wind,  in  a  southern  direction,  as  if  to  return 
directly  to  France ;  but  when  fairly  at  sea,  and 
out  of  sight  of  land,  suddenly  changing  their 
course  to  the  north,  they  proceed  to  Dumbarton, 
received  on  board  the  queen  and  all  her  house- 
hold,* and  after  a  short  voyage,  arrived  without 
accident  at  the  port  of  Brest.  (1548.)  From  this 
city,  where  she  was  received  with  the  acclama- 
tion of  the  inhabitants,  Mary  was  conducted  to 
St.  Germain  en  Laye,  where  the  king  received 
her  as  a  cherished  and  long-expected  daughter. 
Henry  II.,  forgetting  or  neglecting  the  advice  of 
his  father,  who  feared  the  ambition  of  the  princes 
of  Lorraine,  and  had  recommended  him  to  re- 
move them  from  power,  had  placed  his  confidence 

*  The  queen  was  accompanied  by  four  young  girls  of  her  own  age, 
who  all  bore  the  same  name  as  their  mistress,  and  are  called  the 
queen's  Maries.  They  were,  Mary  Beaton,  niece  of  Cardinal  Bea- 
ton, Mary  Fleming,  daughter  of  Lord  Fleming,  Mary  Livingstone, 
daughter  of  one  of  the  queen's  guardians,  and  Mary  Seaton,  daugh- 
ter of  Lord  Seaton. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


47 


in  the  Duke  and  Cardinal  of  Guise,*  uncles 
of  the  young  Mary;  and  they  —  although  they 
had  no  particular  affection  for  the  young  Queen 
of  Scotland,  whom  they  had  never  seen  —  ear- 
nestly desired  that  she  would  espouse  the  dau- 
phin, because  they  hoped  that  she  would  one  day 
be  in  their  hands  a  docile  instrument,  of  whom 
they  expected  to  make  use  in  directing  her  hus- 
band, if  he  ascended  the  throne.  They  obtained 
from  the  king  the  formal  renewal  of  the  promise 
made  to  their  sister,  the  queen  dowager  of  Scot- 
land, that  the  marriage  of  Mary  and  the  dauphin 
should  take  place  when  they  arrived  at  the  proper 
age :  meanwhile,  they  were  betrothed  with  much 
pomp. 

*  Charles,  known  later  ag  the  Cardinal  of  Lorraine,  and  then 
called  Guise,  because  the  old  cardinal  of  Lorraine,  his  uncle,  still 
lived. 


48 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


CHAPTER  II. 

CONTINUATION  OF  TROUBLES.  —  BEIGN  AND  DEATH  OF  MARY  OF 

ENGLAND.  ELIZABETH.  —  PEACE   OF   CATEAU  CAMBRE8I8.  

MARRIAGE  OF  MARY  STUART. 

It  was  evident  that  Mary's  departure  for 
France  removed  from  the  English  every  pretext 
for  continuing  the  war  in  Scotland.  Henry  II. 
declared,  besides,  to  the  cabinet  of  St.  James,  that, 
as  father  and  father-in-law  of  the  King  and 
Queen  of  Scotland,  he  would  oppose  any  act  of 
hostility  on  the  part  of  England  to  that  king- 
dom p  he  consequently  required  the  protector  to 
abstain  therefrom  during  the  minority  of  the  be- 
trothed. Somerset  returned  a  refusal  to  the 
French  ambassador  ;  and  to  show  that  he  firmly 
intended  to  achieve  what  he  had  commenced, 
being  irritated  besides  by  the  loss  of  a  convoy 
charged  with  revictualling  Haddington,  he  sent 
Shrewsbury  into  Scotland  with  an  army  of 
twenty-two  thousand  men.  D'Esse,  who  had 
too  few  forces  to  resist,  immediately  raised  the 
siege  ;  but  he  intrenched  himself  so  well  in  an 
advantageous  position,  that  Shrewsbury  durst 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


49 


not  attack  him.  The  English  general  brought, 
it  is  true,  some  assistance  to  the  place  ;  but  it 
was  only  adding  a  new  sacrifice  to  losses  already- 
experienced,  for,  a  little  while  after,  Haddington 
was  obliged  to  surrender ;  the  forts  of  Home 
Castle  and  Fast  Castle  also  opened  their  gates, 
and  the  Scots,  in  their  turn  crossing  the  borders, 
penetrated  even  to  Newcastle,  and  repaid  the 
English  for  the  evil  inflicted  on  them,  by  burn- 
ing twenty  villages.  D'Esse  afterwards  departed 
for  France,  leaving  the  command  to  Marshal 
Termes,  who  had  brought  a  reenforcement  of 
thirteen  hundred  men.  The  new  general  pur- 
sued the  policy  of  his  predecessor,  hazarded 
nothing,  fatigued  the  English,  and  destroyed  all 
the  ascendency  which  their  former  successes  had 
given  them.  England  was,  besides,  delivered  up 
to  intestine  dissensions,  which  threatened  the 
existence  of  its  present  government ;  so  that  the 
protector,  obliged  to  watch  around  himself  to 
overthrow  the  hostile  plots  of  his  own  brother, 
Seymour,  could  devote  but  little  attention  to 
Scotland,  which  was  less  disposed  than  ever  to 
submit  to  the  yoke.  (1549.) 

Henry  II.,  declaring  war  in  the  interim,  re- 
doubled the  protector's  embarrassment.     It  is 
pretended  that  he  had  proposed  to  the  council 
5 


50 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


regent  to  make  peace  with  Scotland,  to  surrender 
Boulogne  to  the  King  of  France  for  a  pecuniary 
indemnification,  to  contract  with  that  prince  a 
treaty  of  alliance,  having  for  its  object  the  assist- 
ance of  the  Protestants  in  Germany,  and  thus 
oppose  a  barrier  to  the  grasping  power  of  the 
emperor.  But  the  majority  of  the  council  reso- 
lutely opposed  the  protector.  To  return  the  city 
of  Boulogne  to  the  King  of  France,  said  they, 
is  to  wish  England's  humiliation  and  the  dis- 
grace of  the  king's  government.  It  would  be 
much  better  to  intrust  that  fortress  —  if  they  did 
not  wish  to  guard  it  —  to  the  emperor,  and  offer 
the  crown  of  Scotland  to  the  Earl  of  Arran ; 
France  would  then  cease  to  threaten  Great 
Britain,  and  the  king  would  at  least  have  time 
to  prepare  all  his  resources.  But  the  emperor 
would  not  accept  the  gift  which  they  offered 
him ;  he  perceived  that  it  would  be  difficult  to 
maintain  it  without  the  assistaru^e  of  English 
vessels,  which  would  have  cramped  his  policy 
and  wounded  his  pride;  besides,  he  had  con- 
cluded a  treaty  of  peace  with  Henry  II.,  and, 
although  he  scrupled  little  breaking  his  faith 
when  his  interest  required  it,  he  desired  in  this 
case  to  appear  faithful  to  his  contracts. 

On  the  other  hand,  Henry,  offended  by  the 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


51 


haughty  response  of  Somerset  to  his  ambassador, 
sent  a  considerable  army  into  the  Boulonnais, 
and  soon  followed  in  person  with  more  troops, 
ruined  all  the  fortifications  erected  by  the  Eng- 
lish before  the  city  on  the  land  side,  and  block- 
aded the  city  itself  very  carefully,  expecting  that 
the  want  of  provisions  would  oblige  the  garrison 
to  surrender  before  the  end  of  winter.  Thus  it 
would  cost  neither  money  nor  soldiers  to  restore 
the  place  to  the  ancient  domain.  Henry  expected 
that  inability,  or  the  troubles  which  agitated  Eng- 
land, would  prevent  the  protector  from  assisting 
the  garrison  of  Boulogne. 

These  troubles  were  caused  by  the  jealousy 
with  which  the  protector  inspired  the  Earl  of 
Warwick  and  his  friends,  by  the  almost  unlim- 
ited extent  of  power  he  had  arrogated  to  himself, 
and  which  he  had  confirmed  with  the  blood  of 
his  own  brother,  shed  by  the  hand  of  the  execu- 
tioner. They  resulted  in  the  overthrow  of  this 
despotic  authority ;  Somerset  was  arrested,  con- 
ducted to  the  Tower,  tried  by  Parliament,  de- 
prived of  all  his  offices,  and  his  life  was  only 
spared  because  he  was  the  king's  uncle.  His 
property  was  divided  between  the  principal  con- 
spirators ;  but  then  happened  what  almost  al- 
ways happens  when  rivals  in  power  supplant 


52 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


each  other :  the  last  comers  follow  the  route 
which  they  find  traced,  imitate  the  policy  which 
they  condemned  in  their  predecessors,  and  thus 
prepare  troubles  for  themselves  from  men,  who, 
after  having  them  a  day  dismissed  from  their 
post,  only  continue  their  work.  They  had  con- 
sidered it  a  crime  in  Somerset  to  have  counselled 
the  abandonment  of  Boulogne  and  peace  with 
Scotland,  and  these  were  the  first  administrative 
acts  of  War^dck  and  his  associates.  They 
alleged  that  the  garrison  of  Boulogne  was  in 
need  of  ammunition  and  provisions,  and  that 
the  treasury  was  drained  ;  that  the  emperor  had 
made  a  special  peace,  and  that  the  whole  w^eight 
of  the  war  would  fall  upon  Great  Britain.  Prop- 
ositions were  at  first  indirectly  made  on  the  part 
of  the  cabinet  of  St.  James,  through  the  inter- 
position of  a  Florentine  merchant,  named  An- 
tonio Guidotti.  He  commenced  by  proposing 
the  pure  and  simple  abandonment  of  Boulogne, 
provided  the  Queen  of  Scotland  would  marry 
King  Edward.  This  proposition  was  disdain- 
fully rejected  ;  it  was  answered  that  Mary  was 
already  betrothed  to  the  dauphin.  Afterwards 
Guidotti  demanded  the  payment  of  the  pension 
which  Henry  VHI.  had  obtained  from  Francis  I., 
and  the  arrears  of  that  pension.     "  What ! "  was 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


53 


exclaimed  in  the  French  council,  "  are  we  then 
never  to  conclude  a  war  with  England  but  with 
money?  Will  then  neither  arms  nor  arms  — 
ni  armes  ni  bras  —  avail  us  ?  "  The  answer 
made  to  the  second  proposition  served  only  to 
inflame  their  resentment.  Never,  said  they,  will 
the  King  of  France  condescend  to  pay  tribute 
to  a  foreign  power.  When  Henry  VIII.  was 
promised  a  pension,  or  rather,  said  they,  when  he 
extorted  it,  he  availed  himself  of  the  temporary 
necessity  of  Francis  1. ;  Henry  II.  would  now, 
in  his  turn,  profit  by  Edward's  embarrassment  to 
constrain  him  to  renounce  it.  The  English  plen- 
ipotentiaries then  threatened  to  terminate  the 
conference  ;  but  the  French,  who  perceived  their 
superiority,  desired  to  dictate,  and  did  in  fact 
dictate,  the  terms  of  the  treaty.  (24th  of  March, 
1550.) 

It  was  agreed  that  there  be  peace  and  per- 
petual union  between  the  two  powers ;  that 
Boulogne  be  restored  to  the  King  of  France, 
with  all  the  materiel  which  was  found  in  it  at 
the  time  of  its  capture  ;  that  as  remuneration 
for  the  fortifications  which  the  English  had 
added  to  it,  Henry  11.  should  pay  two  hundred 
thousand  crowns  at  the  time  of  its  delivery,  and 
a  like  sum  five  months  thereafter ;  that  Dunglass 
5* 


54 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


and  Lauder  be  restored  to  the  Queen  of  Scot- 
land, and  in  case  these  two  fortresses  were  not 
in  their  possession,  the  English  should  raze  those 
of  Roxburgh  and  Aymouth  ;  that  Scotland  be 
comprised  in  the  treaty,  if  the  queen's  govern- 
ment signified  their  acceptance  within  forty  days 
from  its  signature  ;  that  the  pretensions  or  claims 
of  England  against  Scotland  and  France,  as 
well  as  those  of  France  and  Scotland  against 
England,  be  mutually  reserved. 

The  English,  who,  in  their  treaties  with 
France,  always  opposed  all  conditions  not  on- 
erous for  the  latter,  as  if  they  were  plaintiffs  for 
an  established  wrong,  regarded  that  of  the  24th 
of  March  as  a  truly  national  calamity.  They 
could  not  bear  the  thought  of  the  reduction  to 
the  fifth  of  the  sum  of  two  millions  offered  by 
the  predecessor  of  Henry  11.  for  the  evacuation ; 
they  were  indignant  at  having  renounced  the 
marriage  of  Edward  and  Mary  of  Scotland ; 
and  they  regretted  this  pension  which  Henry  had 
demanded  and  obtained,  to  abandon  his  preten- 
sions to  the  crown  of  France,  for  they  regarded 
as  mere  form,  and  of  no  real  weight,  the  reser- 
vation of  reciprocal  rights  which  terminated  the 
treaty. 

If  the  English  murmured,  the  orthodox  Scots, 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


55 


on  their  side,  returned  thanks  to  Providence  for 
having  deigned  to  preserve  their  young  queen 
from  this  unlucky  union,  wherein  example  would 
not  have  failed  to  corrupt  her  faith  by  the  ascen- 
dency which  the  fanatic  Edward  would  have 
necessarily  had  over  her.  We  say  orthodox 
Scots,  for  the  new  doctrines  had  already  pene- 
trated into  Scotland  ;  and  those  who  believed  in 
preserving  in  its  primitive  purity  the  faith  of 
their  ancestors,  were  unaware  that  Henry's  young 
son  impelled  even  to  frenzy  his  religious  en- 
thusiasm for  the  creation  of  his  father.  He  even 
persecuted  his  own  sister,  the  Princess  Mary, 
daughter  of  the  unfortunate  infanta  of  Spain, 
who  had  educated  her  in  the  religion  professed 
by  herself.  Mary,  being  tormented  by  her  broth- 
er's agents,  and  unprotected,  had  secretly  applied 
to  the  emperor.*  As  the  English  government 
had  need  of  the  emperor's  alliance  at  that  time, 
to  keep  up  appearances  in  France,  Mary  was 
allowed  to  enjoy  a  little  liberty  of  conscience, 
although  the  ambassadors  of  Charles  obtained 
it  with  difficulty.  But  after  the  . treaty  of  peace 
of  tl\e  24th  of  March  had  rendered  the  friend- 

*  Charles  V,  was  cousin  german  of  Mary,  the  infanta  Catharine 
being  the  sister  of  Jane,  who  married  the  Archduke  Philip,  father 
of  Charles  V. 


56 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


ship  of  the  emperor  less  necessary,  the  persecu- 
tion of  the  Princess  Mary  recommenced,  and 
messages  from  the  council  and  letters  from  her 
brother  rapidly  followed ;  he,  in  his  proselytic 
zeal,  pretended  to  have  more  authority  in  re- 
ligious matters  than  his  father  had  had,  and 
added,  that  his  sincere  piety,  and  the  affection 
he  bore  his  sister,  did  not  allow  him  to  leave  her 
without  the  means  of  salvation  ;  he  offered  to 
send  her  teachers  who  might  dissipate  her  igno- 
rance and  cause  her  to  recognize  her  errors.  All 
that  Mary  could  say  was  useless  ;  the  formal  de- 
mand which  the  Austrian  ambassador  made  in 
her  favor  met  with  a  decided  refusal;  and  as  it 
was  rumored  that  Mary  intended  to  quit  the 
kingdom,  a  fleet  was  equipped  to  intercept  her. 
Two  of  her  chaplains,  being  judicially  prose- 
cuted, were  violently  withdrawn  from  her,  and 
she  was  obliged  to  be  present  at  conferences  with 
the  pretended  doctors  of  her  brother.  She  was 
contented  with  replying,  "  My  soul  is  God's,  and 
nothing  will  destroy  the  faith  in  my  heart."  The 
next  day  the  Austrian  ambassador  declared  per- 
emptorily that  if  the  promises  made  to  Mary 
were  violated,  his  master  would  assist  her  by 
force  of  arms. 

This  explicit  declaration  perplexed  the  ortho- 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


57 


doxy  of  the  council.  English  merchants  had 
vessels,  merchandise,  and  considerable  sums  of 
money  in  the  emperor's  dominions  ;  the  govern- 
ment itself  had  in  Flanders  depots  of  powder 
and  military  equipments ;  a  declaration  of  war 
would  cause  them  to  lose  all.  Was  not  this  pur- 
chasing a  conversion  at  too  high  a  price  ?  But 
the  conscience  of  the  demoniac  Edward  was  so 
scrupulous  that  it  would  yield  to  no  concession ; 
to  allow  his  sister  to  remain  in  idolatry  was  of 
itself  to  persist  in  mortal  sin  to  his  damnation. 
The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  the  Bishops 
of  London  and  Rochester  employed  all  their  art 
to  prove  to  him  that,  although  it  was  a  sin  to 
tolerate  sin,  this  tolerance  was,  however,  pardon- 
able when  all  that  it  was  possible  to  do  had  been 
done.  Edward  reluctantly  submitted  to  the  de- 
cision of  the  grave  doctors  ;  but  he  shed  abundant 
tears  on  considering  that  his  beloved  sister  would 
voluntarily  lose  her  soul  by  obstinately  remain- 
ing in  the  Catholic  religion :  it  grieved  him  that 
he  was  not  allowed  to  convert  her  nolens  volens^ 
as  had  been  his  intention. 

The  three  prelates,  and  the  members  of  the 
council,  very  orthodox  in  their  heresy,  had  prob- 
ably some  remorse  for  the  advice  they  had  given 
the  king.    In  truth,  they  only  wished  to  tem- 


58 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


porize ;  for  orders  were  given  that  every  thing  in 
the  Flemish  magazines  should  be  removed,  and 
secret  notices  were  circulated  amongst  the  trade 
that  each  one  might  effect  the  getting  in  of  his 
funds  or  merchandise.  Meanwhile  the  ambas- 
sador was  informed  that  the  king  would  send 
his  answer  to  the  emperor  by  a  special  envoy. 
Edward,  in  fact,  sent  Dr.  Wotton,  who  endeav- 
ored by  adroit  sophisms  to  persuade  the  emperor 
that  the  new  religion  adopted  by  England  was 
only  the  Catholic  religion  reduced  to  its  first 
principles ;  in  a  word,  the  religion  of  the  apostles. 
The  council  was  fully  persuaded  that  Wotton 
would  not  convince  any  one ;  but  the  discussion 
would  gain  time,  which  was  all  they  desired. 

Whilst  this  was  passing  at  the  court  of  Vien- 
na, the  council  redoubled  its  efforts  with  Mary  ; 
and  this  princess,  whom  Protestant  writers  have 
painted  in  the  blackest  colors,  always  repelled 
with  as  much  firmness  as  nobility  their  perfidious 
insinuations,  entreaties,  and  threats.*    The  Scots 

*  Many  of  Mary's  letters,  written  to  her  brother,  are  extant. 
*'  Give  me  leave,"  she  says,  "  to  WTite  what  I  think  touching  your 
majesty's  letters.  Indeed  they  be  signed  with  your  own  hand ;  and 
nevertheless,  in  my  opinion,  not  your  majesty's  in  eifect.  Because 
it  is  well  know,  that  although  (our  Lord  be  praised)  your  majesty 
hath  far  more  knowledge  and  greater  gifts  than  any  other  of  your 
years,  yet  it  is  not  possible  that  your  highness  can  be  judge  in 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART.  59 


were  not  ignorant  of  all  these  vile  manoeuvres  em- 
ployed against  an  unprotected  princess  to  per- 
vert her  ;  and  the  more  odious  they  appeared,  the 
more  they  applauded  the  measures  taken  to  with- 
draw their  young  queen  from  danger.  Edward 
had  not  yet  renounced  all  hopes  of  obtaining 
Mary  Stuart.  The  protector,  Somerset,  whom  a 
court  intrigue  had  removed  from  power,  had 
wished  to  resume  his  ascendency  over  the  king, 
who  appeared  to  notice  with  interest  his  third 
daughter.  Lady  Anne  Seymour.  He  offered  her 
his  hand,  but  the  Earl  of  Warwick  and  his 
friends  defeated  the  project  by  proposing,  through 
the  council,  to  demand  for  their  sovereign  the 
hand  of  a  French  princess. 

A  brilliant  embassy,  at  the  head  of  which  was 
the  Marquis  of  Northampton,  proceeded  to  France, 
about  the  middle  of  the  summer,  to  invest  the 

matters  of  religion.  And  therefore  I  take  it,  that  the  matter  in 
your  letter  proceedeth  from  such  as  do  wish  those  things  to  take 
place  which  be  most  agreeable  to  themselves;  by  whose  doings 
(your  majesty  not  offended)  I  intend  not  to  rule  my  conscience ! " 
When  they  wished  to  compel  her  chaplains  to  use  the  new  liturgy, 
they  declared,  after  having  consulted  her,  that  they  would  rather  suf- 
fer any  thing  than  act  against  their  conscience ;  but  a  short  time 
after,  having  promised  obedience,  Mary,  being  urged  anew,  replied, 
as  a  religious  Christian,  that,  rather  than  suffer  the  least  change  in 
the  tenets  or  practice  of  the  religion  she  professed,  she  would  lay  her 
head  upon  the  block. 


60 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


king  with  the  order  of  the  garter,  and  to  demand 
of  him  a  spouse  for  the  King  of  England.  North- 
ampton at  fu-st  named  Mary  Stuart,  and  received 
a  positive  refusal.  He  afterwards  named  the 
Princess  Elizabeth,  eldest  daughter  of  Henry; 
and  without  making  a  positive  engagement, 
Henry  acceded  to  the  request,  which  was,  how- 
ever, postponed  until  Elizabeth  should  have  com- 
pleted her  twelfth  year. 

The  queen  dowager  of  Scotland  was  then  in 
France.  On  her  return,  she  landed  at  Ports- 
mouth, whence  she  prayed  the  King  of  England 
to  allow  her  to  continue  her  journey  by  land, 
which  was  immediately  granted.  Orders  were 
at  the  same  time  given  that  she  should  be  re- 
ceived every  where  with  the  greatest  honor.  The 
king  invited  her  to  pass  through  London,  where 
he  received  her  with  great  marks  of  affection  and 
respect.  The  queen  was  equally  respectful ;  but 
she  persisted  no  less  in  her  intention  not  to  receive 
him  for  a  son-in-law. 

Meanwhile  the  health  of  the  king  became  more 
and  more  enfeebled,  (1553 ;)  it  was  foreseen  that 
his  death  would  be  a  fruitful  cause  of  troubles, 
because  the  crown  had  many  aspirants,  and  the 
nearest  heirs,  such  as  Henry's  two  daughters, 
might  be  set  aside  on  account  of  religion  or  ille- 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


61 


gitimacy.  The  ambitious  Northumberland,  who, 
since  the  fall  of  Somerset,  enjoyed  all  the  favor 
of  Edward,  —  Northumberland,  the  richest  and 
most  powerful  of  the  English  lords,  —  feared  not 
to  aspire  to  the  supreme  power,  not  for  himself,  it 
is  true,  but  for  his  son  Dudley,  to  whom  had 
been  married,  with  the  king's  approbation,  Lady 
Jane  Gray,  granddaughter  of  Mary,  the  sister  of 
Henry  VIII.*  The  will  of  the  latter,  and  an  act 
of  Parliament  besides,  had  declared  Mary  and 
Elizabeth  presumptive  heirs;  but  the  ancient 
statutes  declaring  them  illegitimate  had  not  been 
repealed,  and  it  was  presumed  that  such  illegiti- 
macy might  be  successfully  opposed  in  bar  of 
their  claim.  These  two  princesses  discarded,  the 
crown  would  revert  to  the  sisters  of  Henry  VIII., 
Margareft,  widow  of  James  V.,  King  of  Scotland, 
and  Mary,  widow  of  Louis  XIL,  King  of  France ; 
but  the  antipathy  of  the  English  for  the  Scots 
sufficed  to  cause  the  Scottish  line  to  be  excluded : 
there  remained  then  only  the  descendants  of 
Mary.  But  Mary  had  only  a  daughter,  Frances, 
wife  of  Lord  Gray ;  and  she  consented  to  yield 
all  her  right  to  her  eldest  daughter.  Lady  Jane. 

*  It  was  this  Mary  who  married  Louis  XII.  some  months  before 
his  death,  when  she  married  the  Duke  of  Suffolk,  who  had  loved  her 
prior  to  her  first  marriag*. 

6 


62 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


Northumberland  had  no  difficulty  in  obtaining 
from  the  king  an  act  disinheriting  his  two  sisters ; 
he  had  only  to  represent  to  him  that  if  Mary 
ascended  the  throne  she  would  surely  destroy 
the  new  religion ;  against  Elizabeth  he  alleged 
the  blemish  of  illegitimacy.  Provided  with  this 
important  document,  Northumberland  assembled 
the  council  in  order  to  have  it  ratified,  and  at 
first  met  with  an  obstinate  resistance.  Many 
members  explained  the  reason  of  their  opposition 
before  the  king  himself;  but  influenced  by  the 
threats  and  promises  of  Northumberland,  all 
finally  ratified  the  will  of  the  king,  who  died  in 
a  few  days  after.  (6th  of  July.) 

His  death  had  been  expected  for  a  long  time, 
and  all  the  parties  were  present  when  it  occurred ; 
yet  Northumberland  and  his  friends  kept  it  secret 
for  two  or  three  days,  so  as  to  have  time  to  pre- 
pare for  their  success.  They  were  encouraged 
by  the  French  ambassador,  Noailles,  who  made 
them  hope  for  the  assistance  of  his  master.  In 
fact,  France  did  not  desire  that  Mary  should 
ascend  the  throne,  for  she  only  acted  by  the 
advice  of  the  emperor;  and  they  feared,  with 
some  reason,  that  he  would  make  her  accept  of 
his  son  for  a  husband,  which  would  augment  the 
power  9f  Austria,  already  influencing  Germany 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


63 


and  the  Peninsula.  On  his  side,  the  emperor'a 
ambassador  sustained,  with  all  his  power,  the 
interests  of  Mary.  Catholics  and  Protestants 
naturally  joined  the  two  parties,  which  were 
divided  into  two  factions,  that  of  Northumber- 
land, or  Jane  Gray,  and  that  of  Elizabeth. 

This  is  not  the  place  to  describe  the  interest- 
ing events  which  took  place  in  London  —  the 
elevation  and  fall  of  the  unfortunate  Jane,  the 
accession  of  Mary,  her  marriage,  the  conspira- 
cies which  shook  her  throne,  and  the  part  she 
took  in  the  war  which  Philip  II.  made  against 
France.  We  will  only  say,  that  the  loss  of  the 
battle  of  St.  Quintin's,  (1557,)  where  ten  thou- 
sand English  were  enrolled  in  the  ranks  of  the 
Spanish  army,  had  some  influence  upon  the  lot 
of  Mary  Stuart,  whose  marriage,  for  a  long  time 
postponed,  but  until  now  retarded  by  the  extreme 
youth  of  the  future  bridegroom,  was  fixed  for  an 
approaching  period.  Henry  wished  to  interest 
the  Scots  in  his  cause,  by  whom  England  would 
be  kept  busy  whilst  he  would  resist  the  King  of 
Spain  and  the  emperor  in  Flanders  and  Italy. 

Hardly  had  the  Scots  learned  that  Mary  had 
declared  war  with  France,  than,  feeling  their 
former  hatred  revive,  they  flew  to  arms.  The 
regent  and  the  queen  dowager  profited  by  this 


64 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


national  movement  to  render  popular  the  idea 
of  making  the  greatest  efforts  for  France  ;  never- 
theless, this  enthusiasm  was  not  sustained.  En- 
gagements took  place  on  the  frontier;  but  the 
secret  partisans  of  England  soon  represented  that 
the  war  which  had  been  commenced  was  for  a 
cause  entirely  foreign  to  Scotland,  and  that  they 
were  exposing  the  welfare  of  the  country  without 
any  adequate  cause.  These  arguments,  passing 
from  mouth  to  mouth,  gradually  cooled  their 
spirits,  and  the  army  disbanded.  Thus,  said 
Lord  Shrewsbury  in  his  governmental  report,  this 
enterprise,  begun  with  so  much  bravery,  ended 
in  dishonor  and  shame. 

But  when  the  Scots  were  aware  that  their  be- 
trothed queen  was  about  to  become  a  spouse, 
that  every  thing  was  prepared  for  the  august 
ceremony,  that  many  Scottish  lords,  who  were 
invited  to  be  present,  had  already  departed, 
that  the  Queen  of  Scotland  would  become  dau- 
phiness  of  France,  and  the  dauphin  of  France 
sovereign  of  Scotland,  thoughts  of  alliance  and 
devotedness  were  reawakened ;  to  serve  France 
was  to  serve  the  queen  and  their  country.  On 
the  other  hand,  they  were  not  ignorant  that  the 
Queen  of  England  had  much  difficulty  in  re- 
straining the  discontented  in  her  own  kingdom, 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


65 


and  that,  engaged  in  war  with  France  to  please 
her  husband,  she  could  not  carry  on  a  war  in 
Scotland  with  much  vigor;  this  presumption 
was  soon  changed  into  certainty. 

Whilst  the  Constable  Montmorency,  an  old 
general,  was  defeated  at  St.  Quintin's,  for  not 
heeding  the  advice  of  the  Prince  of  Conde,  a 
young  warrior,  the  Duke  of  Guise,  Mary's  uncle, 
forced  the  Spaniards  in  Italy  to  grant  Pope  Paul 
IV.  an  advantageous  peace.  The  disaster  of 
St.  Quintin'^  caused  Guise  to  be  recalled ;  who, 
on  arriving,  received  the  title  of  generalissimo. 
The  soldiers  received  him  with  transports  of  joy  ; 
they  remembered  that  Guise,  with  a  handful  of 
brave  soldiers,  had  defended  Metz,  when  almost 
dismantled,  against  the  emperor  commanding  in 
person  an  army  of  one  hundred  thousand  men, 
and  that  he  had  obliged  them  to  raise  the  siege 
shamefully.  With  Guise  at  their  head,  the  troops 
believed  themselves  invincible ;  and  he  promised 
to  lead  them  to  the  enemy  in  a  short  time. 

For  more  than  two  ages  Calais  had  been  in 
the  possession  of  the  English,  and  was  believed 
to  be  impregnable.  It  had  on  one  side  the  sea, 
on  the  other  a  morass ;  the  narrow  way  which 
united  it  to  the  continent  through  the  morass 
was  intersected  by  ditches,  and  provided  with 
6* 


66  LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 

forts.  It  appeared  impossible  to  approach  it, 
and  the  English  reckoned  so  well  upon  the  ob- 
stacles which  nature  opposed  to  a  land  attack, 
that  they  had  made  of  the  city  a  vast  commercial 
magazine,  as  well  as  a  depot  for  arms,  ammu- 
nition, and  artillery.  It  was  this  impregnable 
place  of  which  Guise  undertook  the  conquest. 
It  should  be  stated  that  Senarpont,  the  governor 
of  Boulogne,  having  had  several  occasions  to  re- 
pair to  Calais,  had  attentively  examined  the  for- 
tifications of  the  city,  and  had  drawn  a  very 
correct  plan  of  them,  though  made  at  intervals. 
It  was  known,  besides,  that  as  winter  approached, 
the  English  diminished  their  garrison,  through 
motives  of  economy.  Admiral  Coligni,  it  is  said, 
first  suggested  profiting  by  this  security  of  the 
English,  who,  during  the  middle  of  winter,  least 
anticipated  an  attack.  "  It  is,"  said  he,  "  in  the 
middle  of  winter  that  Calais  must  be  surprised." 
Guise  followed  this  wise  advice,  and  happily 
executed  the  project.  Twenty-five  thousand  vet- 
erans, followed  by  a  considerable  train  of  artillery, 
left  Compiegne  on  the  1st  of  January,  1558,  and 
proceeded  towards  St.  Quintin's.  Having  gone 
some  distance,  the  army,  suddenly  changing  its 
direction,  proceeded  to  Calais  by  forced  marches. 
In  six  days  the  advanced  works,  the  castle,  the 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


67 


port,  the  city,  were  in  the  power  of  the  French. 
On  the  20th  of  the  same  month,  the  place  of 
Guisnes  capitulated,  and  the  castle  of  Ham  was 
evacuated ;  and  on  the  22d  the  whole  canton, 
forming  the  county  of  Oye,  submitted  to  the  lot 
of  Guisnes  and  Calais. 

This  little  region  was  well  cultivated,  and 
covered  with  cattle  ;  the  city  yielded  immense 
booty.  The  artillery  and  ammunition  became 
the  property  of  the  government ;  precious  mova- 
bles —  gold,  silver,  and  jewels  — were  distributed 
among  the  officers  and  soldiers.  Guise  kept 
nothing  for  himself,  but  he  received  in  return 
from  a  part  of  the  army  increased  affection  and 
devotedness. 

The  news  of  the  loss  of  Calais  resounded  at 
London  like  a  thunder  clap,  and  the  entire  popu- 
lation remained  stupefied.  To  mitigate  a  little 
the  public  grief,  the  ministry  ordered  Lord  Went- 
worth,  governor  of  Calais,  and  many  officers  of 
the  garrison,  to  appear  before  a  council  of  war ; 
but  regret  was  not  less  smarting  than  universal. 
On  seeing  the  consternation  which  reigned  in 
London,  one  would  have  said  that  the  enemy 
was  at  the  gates  of  the  capital.  Queen  Mary, 
whose  already  languishing  health  foreboded  her 
end  near,  said,  upon  her  death  bed,  that  if  her 


68 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


chest  were  opened,  the  word  Calais  would  be 
found  engraven  on  her  heart.  The  King  of 
Spain,  to  whom  this  disaster  was  attributed, 
since  he  had  obliged  the  queen,  his  wife,  to  de- 
clare war  against  France  without  any  necessity, 
offered  troops  to  Parliament ;  but  they  mistrusted 
his  sincerity,  being  convinced  that  he  only  wished 
to  retake  Calais  to  keep  it  for  himself.  They 
were  contented  with  equipping  vessels  to  cruise 
upon  the  French  coast,  and  endeavor  to  surprise 
some  of  their  ports,  so  as  to  indemnify  them- 
selves for  the  loss  of  the  lamented  Calais. 

Whilst  this  event  increased  the  hatred  of  the 
English  against  France,  the  French,  particularly 
the  Parisians,  celebrated  the  triumph  of  their 
favorite  general  by  fetes  and  public  rejoicings. 
The  king  and  all  his  court  desired  to  take  part, 
and  the  former  even  announced  to  the  mayor  of 
Paris  that  he  would  sup  on  Shrove  Thursday  at 
the  Hotel  de  Ville.  Every  thing  was  immediately 
prepared  to  receive  such  a  guest  worthily.  The 
floor  of  the  hall  was  covered  with  mats,  at  that 
time  a  luxury ;  branches  of  ivy  and  garlands 
adorned  the  ceiling ;  and  the  walls  were  richly 
hung  with  silk  stuffs,  upon  which  were  seen  the  es- 
cutcheons of  the  king,  queen.  Guise,  and  —  what 
must  have  appeared  astonishing  —  the  Duchess 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


69 


of  Valentinois.  Twenty-five  ladies,  the  wives 
or  daughters  of  the  principal  magistrates,  were 
selected  to  escort  the  royal  family,  and  twenty- 
five  young  men,  all  of  whom  were  clad  in  silk, 
and  belonged  to  the  principal  families  of  the  cit- 
izens, waited  at  table. 

After  the  supper,  where  some  disorder  was 
caused  by  the  crowd  pressing  into  the  hall  to  see 
the  king  and  his  family,  it  was  desired  to  have 
the  poet  Jodelle's  lyric  tragedy  of  Orpheus  per- 
formed ;  but  the  assistants  had  invaded  the 
theatre  in  such  a  manner  that  the  actors  could 
not  perform  for  want  of  room.  "  It  was,"  says 
Brantome,  "  a  tragi-comedy,  in  which  music, 
dancing,  and  decorations  were  combined  to 
words  —  a  thing  never  before  seen  in  France,  for 
previously  the  buffoons  and  players  of  Bazoche 
were  only  spoken  of.  These  beautiful  pleasan- 
tries and  fine  comedies  had  been  invented  and 
performed  in  Italy  not  long  before."  Catharine 
de'  Medici  introduced  them  in  France.  The 
ball  immediately  replaced  Orpheus^  the  perform- 
ance of  which  was  postponed  to  another  day. 
This  fete  may  be  called  brilliant  for  the  epoch  at 
which  it  was  given.  The  art  of  rendering  luxury 
elegant,  and  thus  augmenting  enjoyment,  that  is, 
of  employing  with  exquisite  taste  the  resources 


70  LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 

which  riches  offer,  did  not  yet  exist ;  but  all  that 
was  then  esteemed  —  gold,  silver,  and  jewels  — 
had  been  lavished  in  adorning  the  hall  and  add- 
ing splendor  to  dress. 

Catharine  de'  Medici,  surrounded  by  her  maids 
of  honor,  animated  the  dancers  by  her  presence. 
For  a  long  time  disdained  by  courtiers,  who 
mete  out  their  esteem  or  deference  by  the  affec- 
tion of  their  lord,  Catharine,  by  art,  intrigue,  and 
complaisance,  finally  triumphed  over  the  aversion 
which  the  king  had  for  her  ;  and  although  he  did 
not  show  her  the  tenderness  which  she  might 
expect  as  a  wife,  she  exercised  considerable  au- 
thority in  the  administration  of  affairs,  which 
was  what  she  desired  ;  for  she  always  had  more 
ambition  than  attachment  for  the  person  of  her 
husband.  The  Duchess  of  Valentinois,  that 
famous  Diana  of  Poitiers,  who,  after  having 
reigned  over  the  heart  of  Francis  I.,  exercised  the 
same  empire  over  that  of  Henry,  was  not  far  from 
the  queen  ;  and  the  queen,  who  detested  her,  but 
who  was  a  profound  dissembler,  loaded  her  with 
testimonials  of  her  good  will.  But  at  the  side  of 
Catharine  was  noticed  a  young  princess,  upon 
whom  Nature  had  strewn  all  her  gifts  —  grace, 
Deauty,  an  elegant  figure,  noble  gait,  majestic 
carriage,  an  expression  in  all  her  features,  a 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


71 


sweet  and  bold  look,  which  at  once  commanded 
love  and  respect ;  she  also  attracted  all  eyes,  and 
the  murmur  of  admiration  which  arose  around 
her  would  have  informed  her  of  the  sentiments 
she  created,  had  presumption  and  vanity  had 
access  to  her  heart ;  but  Mary  Stuart  had  all  the 
innocence  of  youth,  the  candor  of  sixteen,  and 
she  remarked  not  the  mute  homage  which  Hen- 
ry's courtiers  paid  her. 

May  Heaven  preserve  her  in  this  happy  igno- 
rance, in  order  that  in  the  midst  of  a  dissolute 
court,  where  corruption  takes  no  pains  to  cover 
itself  with  a  mask,  she  may  preserve  the  virtuous 
principles  which  have  been  inculcated  to  her ! 
Mary's  uncles  neither  loved  nor  esteemed  Catha- 
rine de'  Medici,  and  they  took  care  not  to  confide 
the  education  of  their  niece  to  her.  On  her  ar- 
rival in  France,  she  had  been  placed  by  them  in 
an  institution  where  she  found  excellent  masters, 
who,  successfully  developing  the  beautiful  quali- 
ties of  her  heart  and  mind,  returned  her  to  her 
uncles  as  virtuous  and  modest  as  she  was  bril- 
liant. It  is  said  that  when  scarcely  ten  years  of 
age  she  pronounced  before  the  king.  Cardinal 
Lorraine,  and  many  lords,  a  short  Latin  discourse, 
of  her  own  composition,  upon  the  advantages 
of  instruction ;  and  in  an  age  when  the  lords 


72 


LIFE   OP  MARY  STUART. 


were  not  devoted  to  science,  the  young  Queen 
of  Scotland  passed  justly  for  a  prodigy. 

Meanwhile  the  Duke  of  Guise  came  to  Paris 
to  enjoy  his  triumph  and  assist  at  the  marriage 
of  his  niece.  This  marriage,  which  was  eagerly 
desired  by  the  house  of  Lorraine,  was  the  reward 
reserved  for  the  conqueror  of  Calais  and  the  de- 
fender of  Metz.  Mary  Stuart  had  not  yet  com- 
pleted her  sixteenth  year,  and  the  dauphin  was 
about  the  same  age ;  unfortunately,  the  feeble 
and  languishing  health  of  the  latter  foretold  an 
early  end. 

The  ceremony  took  place  (24th  April,  1558)  in 
the  church  of  Our  Lady  of  Paris,  [Notre  Dame.) 
The  duke  performed  the  functions  of  grand 
master  of  the  king's  household,  instead  of  the 
Cojistable  of  Montmorency,  then  a  Spanish  pris- 
oner. This  excited  the  jealousy  of  the  latter,  for 
he  feared  that  Guise  would  engross  the  king's 
favor  ;  and  the  Spaniards,  who  partly  shared  his 
fears  on  account  of  the  result  which  would  have 
followed  the  royal  favor  being  concentrated  upon 
the  uncle  of  the  dauphin,  permitted  the  constable 
to  return  to  France  on  his  parole  of  honor. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


73 


CHAPTER  III. 

HATBED  OP  ELIZABETH  TO  MARY.  — HER  APOSTASY.  — DEATH  OP 
HENRY  II.  —  ACCESSION  OF  THE  DAUPHIN  AND  MARY. 

The  queen  dowager  of  Scotland  had  not  been 
present  at  the  marriage  of  her  daughter,  cares  of 
government  not  permitting  her  to  absent  herself. 
The  reformers  were  addicted  to  the  greatest  ex- 
cesses, and  unfortunately  she  could  only  oppose 
to  them  prudence  and  sweetness ;  for  they  had 
strength  because  they  comprised  a  great  part  of 
the  people,  and  the  most  powerful  lords  of  the 
kingdom  had  embraced  their  doctrines.  For 
some  years,  the  highest  dignities  in  the  church 
and  the  richest  benefices  were  held  by  illegit- 
imate *  children  of  the  sovereign,  or  by  members 
of  great  houses,  alike  destitute  of  learning,  in- 
clined to  debauch,  having  all  the  vices  of  the 

*  It  may  be  proper  to  observe,  that  these  commendatory  abbots  and 
priors  received  the  income,  but  interfered  not  with  the  domestic  econ- 
omy, of  the  monasteries.  Though  they  seldom  took  orders,  they 
ranked  as  clergymen,  and  by  their  vices  contributed  to  cover  the  pro- 
fession with  odium.  Patly  enough,  they  became  converts  to  the  new 
doctrines,  thus  securing  to  themselves  and  their  heirs  the  lands  of 
their  benefices,  or  an  equivalent. 

7 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


class  to  which  they  belonged,  and  little  embar- 
rassed by  the  manners  and  instruction  of  their 
inferiors.  The  pride  of  these  high  dignitaries, 
their  negligence  in  fulfilling  their  duties,  the  ex- 
treme rigor  with  which  they  insisted  on  the  re- 
ceipt of  their  revenues,  were  for  the  people 
continual  subjects  for  murmurs  ;  the  propagators 
of  new  doctrines  had  only  to  declaim  against 
the  vices  and  oppression  of  the  clergy  to  make 
numerous  proselytes.  Prelates  became  alarmed, 
and  the  Earl  of  Arran,  then  regent  or  governor 
of  the  kingdom,  recalled  the  ancient  statutes  of 
Scotland  against  abettors  or  preachers  of  heret- 
ical doctrines,  and  added  new  penalties  to  them ; 
but  when  the  queen  mother  became  regent,  the 
reformers  respired ;  the  lords  who  favored  them 
were  of  the  queen's  party,  and  all  were  of  the 
opinion  that  tolerance  should  be  used,  if  only  to 
show  herself  grateful.  The  return  from  Geneva 
of  John  Knox,*  the  most  fiery  partisan  of  reform, 

*  "  Knox  was  an  apostate  priest,  and  his  whole  conduct  illustrates 
that  observation  which  the  experience  of  ages  has  converted  into  a 
maxim  —  Omnis  apostata  osor  acerrimm  sui  ordinis,  (Every  apos- 
tate is  the  bitterest  hater  of  the  order  from  which  he  has  apostatized.) 
Joined  with  the  bitterness  of  the  apo*State,  he  had  also  the  cunning  of 
the  tactician.  When  asked  to  show  the  lawfulness  of  his  vocation,  he 
said  with  a  knowing  leer,  *  Buf !  buf !  man,  as  we  are  once  entered 
here,  let  us  see  who  will  put  us  out  again.'  " —  Walter. 


LIFE   OP   MARY  STUART. 


75 


caused  the  zeal  of  his  friends  to  take  a  more 
rapid  flight.  This  man,  says  Dr.  Lingard,  who 
joined  to  the  enthusiasm  of  an  apostle  great  se- 
verity of  manner  and  a  rude  but  commanding 
eloquence,  suggested  that  an  assembly  of  all  the 
reformers  should  be  held  ;  and  through  his  influ- 
ence a  covenant  was  prepared,  by  which  all  the 
signers  bound  themselves  to  renounce  forever 
the  Roman  communion,  and  maintain  the  pure 
doctrine  of  the  gospel^  or,  rather,  what,  in  their 
deplorable  error,  they  regarded  as  this  doctrine. 

Knox  did  not,  indeed,  seek  after  the  glory  of  a 
martyr,  but  prudently  returned  to  Geneva,  whence 
he  issued  letters,  notices,  exhortations,  and  remon- 
strances. One  thing  he  earnestly  inculcated  — 
the  distinction  between  civil  and  religious  obe- 
dience. The  former  was  due  in  civil  mat- 
ters to  the  civil  magistrate ;  the  latter  to  God 
alone  :  whence  he  drew  this  important  inference, 
that,  in  defiance  of  the  legislature  and  the  sov- 
ereign, it  was  their  duty  to  extirpate  idolatry 
wherever  they  found  it,  to  establish  the  gospel, 
and,  in  defence  of  their  proceedings,  to  oppose 
force  to  force.  These  principles,  which  made 
the  insurrection  a  holy  diity^  found  many  follow- 
ers, —  for  the  number  of  those  whom  the  empire 
of  the  laws  restrains  is  always  very  great, — 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


and  produced  the  anticipated  results.  In  an  in- 
finite number  of  cities  and  little  towns,  the  pre- 
tended disciples  of  the  gospel  expelled  priests, 
threw  down  monasteries,  and  delivered  images, 
sacerdotal  ornaments,  often  the  churches  them- 
selves, to  the  flames. 

The  queen  mother  saw  with  grief  all  these 
disturbances,  but  durst  not  punish  the  authors 
of  them,  lest,  should  a  struggle  take  place  be- 
tween reform  and  the  royal  power,  the  former 
would  not  succumb.  She  wished  beside  to  ap- 
pear condescending  to  the  lords  of  the  party, 
since  the  question  of  her  daughter's  marriage 
was  submitted  to  Parliament,  and  they  had  great 
influence  in  it.  She  hoped  that,  her  daughter 
once  received  into  the  royal  family  of  France, 
the  king  would  send  assistance  of  every  kind ; 
she  flattered  herself  with  the  idea  of  soon  seeing 
in  Scotland  a  French  army,  commanded  perhaps 
by  her  brother,  when  it  would  be  easy  for  her  to 
humble  the  reformers,  and  restore  the  Scots  to 
the  worship  of  their  fathers.  Parliament  grati- 
fied the  queen's  desire  :  not  only  did  it  approve 
of  Mary's  union  with  the  dauphin,  but  it  also 
named  a  deputation  to  assist  at  the  ceremony. 
It  was  in  the  presence  of  these  deputies  that, 
after  having  received  the  nuptial  benediction,  the 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


7* 


young  queen  bestowed  upon  her  spouse  the  crown 
matrimonial,  and  saluted  him  as  King-Dauphin.* 
The  King  of  France,  in  his  turn,  styled  Mary 
Dauphiness  of  France  and  Queen  of  England^ 
Ireland^  and  Scotland. 

When,  after  the  death  of  Mary  of  England, 
(November,  1558,)  her  sister  Elizabeth  ascended 
the  throne,  she  had  received  the  title  of  Queen 
of  England  and  of  France.  This  was  the  more 
ridiculous,  as  she  inherited  her  pretended  right 
from  Edward  III.  or  Henry  V.  But  Edward 
was  the  grandson,  by  his  mother  Isabel,  of  Philip 
the  Fair ;  and  yet  the  question  debated  between 
him  and  Philip  of  Valois  was  adjudged  in  favor 
of  the  latter,  through  a  just  or  erroneous  appli- 
cation of  the  Salic  law.f    The  second  had  been 

*  According  to  Scottish  custom,  if  the  queen  married,  her  spouse 
was  entitled  the  queen's  husband,  but  he  was  not  king.  Neverthe- 
less, if  the  queen  wished  him  to  reign  with  her,  she  proclaimed  hira 
king  in  the  presence  of  Parliament,  which  was  called  giving  the 
crown  matrimonial.  It  should  be  remarked,  however,  that  the  king 
could  not  transfer  his  crowTi  to  children  by  a  second  wife,  although 
he  continued  to  reign  after  the  death  of  the  first. 

f  We  have  never  believed  that  the  Salic  law  was  originally  applied 
to  the  succession  of  the  throne.  This  law  contained  a  clause  ex- 
cluding daughters  from  a  share  in  the  Salic  landsy  by  which  were 
designated  the  lands  taken  from  enemies  and  distributed  by  the  leader 
among  his  vassals,  (leudes.)  These  grants  were  made  under  various 
conditions,  one  of  which  —  the  most  essential  —  consisted  in  being 
obliged  to  follow  the  king  to  war.   But  this  service  could  not  be  per- 

7* 


78 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


crowned,  it  is  true,  at  Paris,  but  only  by  a  faction  J 
and  the  king  of  a  faction  is  not  the  king  of  a  state. 
He  had  of  himself  no  right  to  the  crown  of  France ; 
he  had  no  more  in  the  right  of  his  wife,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  VI. ;  and  Charles  VI.,  had  he  not 
been  in  a  demented  state,  would  not  have  disin- 
herited his  son,  and  bestowed  the  crown  upon  a 
stranger  because  that  stranger  was  his  son-in-law. 

Peace  negotiations  had  been  commenced  with 
the  ministers  of  Henry  II.  by  the  ministers  of 
the  new  Queen  of  England  and  France.  Henry 
did  not  complain  ;  but,  through  revenge,  he  hon- 
ored his  daughter-in-law  with  the  pompous  title 
of  queen  of  three  kingdoms.  Elizabeth  was 
secretly  alarmed  at  this  proceeding,  and  she  feared 
that  when  a  favorable  occasion  would  present 
itself  at  a  future  period,  Mary  Stuart  would  dis- 

formed  by  women,  and  they  could  not  consequently  share  in  the  dis- 
tribution of  lands  allowed  for  that  purpose  ;  but  it  is  evident  that  the 
cro\vn  was  not  nor  could  be  regarded  as  a  Salic  possession.  The 
ancient  Britons,  who,  as  well  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  banks  of  the 
Khine  —  the  Franks,  for  instance — had  similar  customs  and  laws, 
because  their  origin  was  common,  offer  in  their  history  many  exam- 
ples of  queens  who  marched  at  the  head  of  their  armies.  When  the 
contest  arose  between  Edward  and  Philip  of  Valois,  Edward's  cause 
would  have  prospered,  had  not  Robert  of  Artois  inclined  the  balance 
in  favor  of  Philip.  It  is  not  less  true  that  the  Salic  law  was  often 
applied  to  the  heritage  of  the  throne,  and  since  this  epoch  it  has  been 
regarded  as  the  law  of  the  land. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


79 


pute  with  her  the  right  to  the  English  crown. 
Her  disquietude  was  so  much  the  greater  as  to 
the  communication  her  ambassador  had  given  to 
the  sovereign  pontiff  on  her  advent  to  the  throne. 
Paul  had  answered  that  he  could  not  recognize 
the  hereditary  right  of  an  individual  who  was 
not  the  offspring  of  a  legitimate  marriage ;  that 
the  Queen  of  Scotland  was,  in  his  opinion,  the 
nearest  heir  of  Henry  VHI. ;  that,  moreover,  if 
Elizabeth  would  submit  to  his  decision,  he  would 
have  for  her  all  the  consideration  compatible 
with  justice.*  Elizabeth  was  not  ignorant  that 
all  Catholics,  especially  those  in  France,  were 
persuaded  that  the  marriage  of  her  mother,  Anne 
Boleyn,  was  null,  and  that,  as  an  illegitimate 
daughter,  she  had  no  right  to  the  succession  of 
her  father;  Mary's  title,  taken  by  the  express 
order  of  the  King  of  France,  sufficiently  demon- 

*  Elizabeth  had,  during  her  sister's  life,  abjured  Protestantism; 
she  had  formally  promised  her  sister,  with  an  oath,  that  she  would 
maintain  the  Catholic  religion.  And  when  Mary,  a  few  hours  before 
her  death,  called  her  to  her  bedside  to  hear  her  profession  of  faith, 
she  swore  and  protested  that  she  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  she  did 
it  with  so  much  force  and  apparent  sincerity,  that  the  Duke  of  Feria, 
ambassador  of  Philip  II.,  was  fully  convinced  by  the  hypocritical 
Elizabeth.  "May  God,"  she  exclaimed,  "cause  the  earth  to  open 
and  swallow  me  up  alive,  if  J  am  not  a  good  Roman  Catholic."  She 
had  not  yet  apostatized  when  she  announced  her  accession  to  the 
pope. 


80 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


strated  that  this  prince  was  of  the  general  opin- 
ion. Henry  even  appeared  so  convinced  of 
the  right  of  his  daughter-in-law,  that  he  caused 
coins  to  be  struck,  upon  which  were  the  effigies 
of  the  two  spouses  and  the  coat  of  arms  of 
France,  Scotland,  and  England.  This,  perhaps, 
was  the  first  cause  of  that  deadly  hate  borne  by 
Elizabeth  to  Mary  —  a  hatred  which  the  former 
could  sometimes  dissemble,  but  which  always 
devoured  her  perfidious  heart,  and  could  only  be 
glutted  in  the  blood  of  her  unfortunate  rival. 

After  having  made  peace  with  France,  which 
the  exhausted  state  of  the  finances  rendered 
necessary,  (February,  1559,)  comprising  in  the 
treaty  Scotland  and  her  young  sovereign,  and 
having  allowed  in  the  same  treaty  the  insertion 
of  a  clause  which  reserved  all  the  rights  and 
anterior  pretensions  of  the  contracting  parties, 
which  permitted  her  to  maintain  her  title  of 
Queen  of  France,  but  also  allowed  Mary  to  pre- 
serve that  of  Queen  of  England,  Elizabeth  — 
counselled  by  her  minister,  Cecil,  w^ho,  though  not 
a  great  statesman,  was  pliant,  adroit,  cunning, 
and  unscrupulous,  and  consequently  an  excellent 
minister  for  a  queen  without  religious  or  political 
faith  —  immediately  prepared  to  maintain  her 
usurped  rights  by  every  means. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


81 


She  had  at  first  to  oppose  the  general  discon- 
tent which  the  treaty  of  Cateau  Cambresis  caused, 
when  the  conditions  of  it  became  known.  Philip 
II.,  as  ally  of  England,  required  the  restoration 
of  Calais,  which  Henry  had  distinctly  refused; 
then  he  declared  that  he  would  not  agree  to  peace 
whilst  England  was  satisfied  without  this  con- 
dition. On  the  contrary,  he  offered  to  carry  on 
the  war  for  six  years  more,  provided  England 
would  engage  not  to  make  peace.  This  propo- 
sition embarrassed  Cecil ;  for  to  renounce  Calais 
was  to  expose  himself  to  the  hatred  of  the  Eng- 
lish nation,  and  to  continue  the  war  he  had 
neither  disciplined  troops  nor  money  in  the  ex- 
chequer ;  above  all,  religious  quarrels  caused  the 
greatest  disorder,  and  before  making  war  abroad 
it  was  necessary  to  establish  peace  at  home. 
Cecil  had  simply  recommended  the  ambassadors, 
without  giving  any  precise  instructions,  to  obtain 
all  they  could.  It  was  then  agreed  by  the  pleni- 
potentiaries that  the  King  of  France  should  re- 
turn Calais  at  the  end  of  eight  years,  and  that,  in 
default  of  the  execution  of  this  clause,  he  should 
pay  to  England  the  sum  of  five  hundred  thou- 
sand crowns.  This  article  was  evidently  only 
inserted  to  save  the  queen's  honor  and  attract 
the  attention  of  the  English  nation ;  for  it  was 


82 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


specified  in  the  following  article,  that  if,  in  the 
interval  of  these  eight  years,  any  act  of  hostility 
took  place  between  the  contracting  parties,  Eliza- 
beth would  lose  all  her  rights  to  the  restoration 
of  Calais.  The  English  did  not  mistake  the 
sense  of  this  clause,  which  left  the  King  of  France 
master  of  the  execution  of  the  preceding  one ; 
this  prince,  indeed,  could  not  fail  to  have  in  that 
long  space  of  time  a  plausible  pretext  for  com- 
plaining of  the  infraction  of  the  treaty ;  and  if 
Elizabeth's  ministers  did  not  furnish  him  with  a 
pretext,  could  he  not  create  one  himself?  Cecil 
imagined  a  means  of  calming  by  flattery  the 
popular  resentment :  to  divert  public  attention, 
he  summoned  Lord  Wentworth,  ex-governor  of 
Calais,  the  commander  of  the  fort,  and  another 
officer,  before  a  council  of  war,  upon  the  accusa- 
tion of  treason.  The  first  was  acquitted;  the 
two  others,  after  long  trials,  underwent  a  nomi- 
nal condemnation,  for  the  sentence  of  the  council 
was  never  put  in  execution ;  but  Cecil  had  at- 
tained his  proposed  end,  and  the  queen  was  not 
really  displeased  with  the  treaty,  since  through 
it  she  had  been  treated  with,  as  Queen  of  Eng- 
land, by  one  who  was  better  able  to  contest  the 
title  with  her. 

To  suppress  the  discontent,  the  queen  and  her 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


83 


minister  determined  to  restore  the  Protestant 
religion  in  England,  and  secretly  favor  the  prog- 
ress of  reform  in  Scotland.  It  is  said  that 
Elizabeth  hesitated  some  days,  some  hours,  per- 
haps an  instant ;  for  it  is  more  than  probable 
that  she  was  in  reality  neither  Protestant  nor 
Catholic,  and  at  that  time  equally  indifferent  to 
all  mode  of  worship.  Meanwhile,  the  Catholics, 
completely  deceived  by  her  public  professions,  did 
not  imagine  that  she  was  only  a  hypocrite,  but 
believed  she  acted  from  conviction.  Protestants 
judged  her  more  properly ;  they  thought  she 
feigned  sentiments  not  heartfelt,  and  although 
they  blamed  her  for  having  had  recourse  to  this 
indelicate  stratagem,  they  hoped  that,  having  the 
power,  she  would  restore  the  reformed  worship 
in  England.  They  thought  that  the  moment  the 
pope  refused  to  recognize  her  on  account  of  her 
birth,  the  moment  the  Catholics,  in  England  and 
elsewhere,  beheld  in  the  Queen  of  Scotland  the 
Catholic  heiress  to  the  throne  of  England,  she 
w^ould  hasten  to  abjure  a  religion  which  repudi- 
ated her  as  illegitimate,  to  embrace  the  friendly 
doctrines  which  would  sustain  her  upon  the 
throne.  So  far  Elizabeth  had  left  the  two  parties 
in  uncertainty ;  for  if,  on  one  side,  she  continued 
to  assist  at  mass,  if  she  celebrated  the  obsequies 


84 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


of  her  sister  according  to  the  form  of  the  Catho- 
lic ritual,  if  she  ordered  in  the  same  form  a 
funeral  service  for  the  repose  of  the  soul  of 
Charles  V.,  on  the  other  hand,  she  recalled  the 
reformers  from  exile,  she  restored  those  to  lib- 
erty who  were  imprisoned  on  account  of  their 
religion-,  she  forbade  the  Bishop  of  Carlisle,  who 
was  about  to  say  mass  in  the  royal  chapel,  to 
elevate  the  consecrated  Host  in  her  presence. 

These  equivocal  acts,  these  ambiguous  meas- 
ures, deceived  only  those  who  did  not  reflect; 
but  it  was  soon  impossible  to  continue  the  illu- 
sion. Parliament  being  occupied  with  the  reli- 
gious question  in  such  a  manner  as  to  relieve  all 
doubt.  In  spite  of  the  opposition  of  the  Catho- 
lic members  of  Parliament,  in  spite  of  the  declared 
resistance  of  the  clergy,  the  two  Houses  passed  a 
bill,  containing — save  some  slight  amendments 
—  the  reenaction  of  the  acts  of  Henry  VIH.  and 
Edward  VL,  with  the  declaration  that  the  Book 
of  Common  Prayer  be  wholly  and  exclusively 
used  in  all  churches;  that  aU  the  spiritual  au- 
thority of  foreign  bishops  should  cease  in  the 
kingdom ;  and  that  the  right  of  punishing  or 
repressing  error,  schism,  heresy,  should  remain 
annexed  to  the  crown,  .with  power  to  delegate 
this  right  in  whole  or  in  part.    Penalties  of  im- 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


85 


prisonment,  perpetual  confinement,  and  even 
death,  were  found  lavished  in  this  bill;  and  un- 
fortunately, they  were  but  too  often  applied  dur- 
ing the  reign  of  Elizabeth. 

Elizabeth  had  taken  a  decided  step,  by  estab- 
lishing the  sovereignty  of  reform  in  England  ; 
but  to  revenge  herself  fully  on  Henry  II.  and  the 
innocent  Mary,  it  was  necessary  to  harass  Scot- 
land, and  —  notwithstanding  that  peace  was  con- 
cluded, and  the  treaty  sworn  upon  the  gospel  to 
preserve  all  the  conditions  of  it  —  to  lend  a  help- 
ing hand  to  the  reformers,  in  order  that  they 
might  obtain  the  preeminence.  The  queen  moth- 
er, reckoning  on  the  assistance  of  France,  had 
commenced  to  act  against  the  reformers,  and 
they  had  attempted  to  oppose  force  to  force, 
according  to  the  doctrine  of  their  patriarch,  John 
Knox:  it  is  doubtful  whether  they  would  have 
succeeded  without  the  assistance  of  Elizabeth 
and  some  favorable  circumstances.  Reform  had 
gained,  it  is  true,  many  proselytes  among  the 
nobility ;  but  we  should  not  believe  with  Prot- 
estant writers,  or  rather  as  these  writers  state,  — 
for  they  do  not  believe  it,  —  that  these  neophytes 
formed  the  most  enlightened  part  of  the  nation, 
and  that  they  only  decided  thus  because  the 
8 


86 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


reformed  religion  was  a  wise  religion,  friendly 
to  wise  liberty > 

These  enlightened  men,  who  adopted  a  wise 
religion,  were  the  same  nobles,  who,  like  their 
ancestors,  had  constantly  struggled  against  the 
sovereign  power ;  they  were  these  eternal  favor- 
ers of  feudal  despotism,  who  wished  to  rise  above 
the  law,  and  whom  every  politic  curb,  moral  and 
religious,  clogged  and  fatigued;  they  were  these 
cadets,  these  illegitimate  children,  whom  favor 
provided  with  ecclesiastical  benefices,  although 
they  were  the  most  ignorant  of  all  men,  and 
who,  by  engaging  in  this  movement,  expected  to 
gain  on  the  one  hand  what  they  had  lost  on  the 
other ;  they  were,  in  fine,  young  or  even  old  deb- 
auchees, delivered  up  to  all  the  passions,  aban- 
doning, without  regret,  a  severe  religion,  which 
preached  true  reform,  for  a  broad  and  accommo- 
dating religion,  which  freed  them,  with  a  single 
stroke,  from  all  that  was  displeasing  in  the 
former. 

Of  the  number  of  these  virtuous  neophytes 
was  an  illegitimate  son  of  James  V.,  the  prior 
of  St.  Andrew's,  and  destined  for  the  church, 
known  first  as  Lord  Stuart,  and  later  as  the  Earl 
of  Murray,  who,  though  loaded  with  favors  by 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


87 


his  sister,  the  generous  Mary,  became  her  perse- 
cutor, her  denunciator,  almost  an  assassin.  This 
Lord  Stuart  was  one  of  the  most  influential 
leaders  of  the  Congregation ;  for  by  this  name 
was  designated  the  assembly  of  the  Protestant 
party.  The  reformers  had  thought  for  k  long 
time  that  Mary's  union  with  the  presumptive 
heir  of  the  French  crown  would  bring  many  ad- 
vantages to  the  Catholics ;  and  as  they  consented 
to  this  alliance,  wishing  to  compound  the  matter 
with  their  consciences,  they  engaged  by  a  cove- 
nant, prior  to  the  opening  of  the  parliamentary 
session,  "  to  serve  even  unto  death  the  cause  of 
their  divine  Master,  [they  were  known  under 
the  name  of  the  Lord's  Congregation^]  to  sus- 
tain and  defend  the  ministers  of  the  gospel ; 
also  to  mutually  defend  each  other,  abandon  the 
Congregation  of  Satan  —  the  Catholic  church  — 
and  pursue  with  all  their  strength  this  same 
church,  its  abominable  acts,  and  its  idolatrous 
practices."  One  can  scarcely  conceive  how  the 
most  enlightened^  wisest^  and  most  virtuous  men 
of  their  time^  as  Protestants  call  them,  could  have 
carried  their  frenzy  so  far  —  even  supposing  that 
the  Catholic  Church  presented  some  abuses  — 
as  to  declare  abominable  and  satanical  the  re- 
ligion which  had  instructed  and  civilized  the 


^8 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


world,  which  had  overturned  the  altars  of  pagan- 
ism, whose  morality  tends  only  to  the  happiness 
of  men  ;  the  religion  in  which  their  fathers  and 
ancestors  died,  in  which  they  themselves  were 
born,  and  from  which  they  only  withdrew  be- 
cause'they  neglected  its  precepts.  The  Earls  of 
Argyle,  Morton,  and  Glencairn  were  at  the  head 
of  the  Congregationalists. 

When  the  Catholics  learned  the  purport  of 
this  covenant,  they  regarded  it  as  a  declaration 
of  war,  and  an  apostate  named  Walter  Milne, 
a  fiery  reformed  preacher,  being  found  guilty  of 
seditious  language,  was  placed  in  the  pillory. 
The  reformers  raged,  and  the  efforts  of  the 
regent  to  pacify  them  proved  ineffectual.  The 
Archbishop  of  St.  Andrew's  convoked  a  national 
council,  by  which  was  published  an  abstract  of 
doctrine  in  explanation  of  the  tenets  misrepre- 
sented by  the  missionaries.  The  congregational 
lords  did  not  yield,  and  established  the  new  ser- 
vice in  Perth.  The  regent  ordered  the  Protestant 
preachers  to  appear  at  Stirling,  to  answer  this 
infraction  of  the  law.  Knox  arrived  from  Ge- 
neva before  the  day  appointed  for  the  trial,  and 
probably  hindered  those  summoned  from  appear- 
ing at  Stirling. 

On  the  appointed  day,  (May  10,  1559,)  the 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


89! 


preachers,  not  being  present,  were  condemned 
for  non-appearance.  On  receiving  the  news 
Knox  ascended  the  pulpit,  vomited  forth  sarcasm 
and  injury,  excited  the  people  to  revolt,  and  tho 
docile  populace  defaced  the  ornaments  of  the 
church,  demolished  the  magnificent  edifice  of 
the  Charter  House,  with  several  other  convents, 
and  delivered  to  the  flames  whatever  was  used 
in  Catholic  worship. 

The  enlightened  reformers,  as  they  are  yet 
called  by  Scottish  writers  of  the  present  day, 
censured  these  excesses,  "  although  the  people 
were  partly  right  in  committing  them  ; "  for  the 
Catholics,  who  were  undoubtedly  very  ignorant, 
wrongfully  regarded  churches  —  the  house  of  the 
Lord  —  as  sacred  edifices,  venerable  in  them- 
selves, and  which  should  be  adorned  with  all 
that  is  most  rich  and  magnificent  in  nature. 
They  befieved  that  if  the  powerful  on  earth 
adorn  their  palaces  with  silver,  gold,  and  precious 
stones,  it  was  but  right  that  the  temple  of  the 
living  God  should  have  its  share  of  these  riches. 
In  the  eyes  of  the  reformers,  who  had  received 
all  their  education,  wisdom,  and  knowledge  from 
Heaven,  churches  were  only  heaps  of  stone, 
earth,  or  wood,  which,  after  the  divine  service 
was  concluded,  had  no  claim  to  veneration,  so 
8* 


90 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


that  probably,  according  to  them,  a  church  after 
service  might  become  a  place  of  meeting,  a  pub- 
lic house,  a  ball  room,  or  perhaps  worse.  A  very 
just  consequence  of  these  strange  principles  was, 
that  it  was  necessary  to  destroy,  or  at  least  com- 
pletely deface,  the  Catholic  churches. 

Alas !  this  miserable  doctrine,  by  which  the 
populace  was  excited  and  misled,  served  only  to 
palliate-  the  real  motive  of  the  reformers,  who 
aimed  at  destroying  Catholicism  by  depriving 
the  Catholics  of  their  ministers.  "  Let  us  pull 
down  the  nests,^^  said  John  Knox,  the  grand  master 
of  Scottish  reform,  "  and  the  rooks  loill  fly  o^." 

The  regent,  accompanied  by  the  Earl  of  Ar- 
ran,  the  Duke  of  Chastelherault,  and  the  Earl 
of  Huntley,  advanced  towards  Perth  ;  unfortu- 
nately, she  had  few  troops,  and  could  depend 
but  little  on  AiTan,  whose  versatile  humor  she 
knew.  Instead  of  fighting,  negotiations  com- 
menced ;  but  in  all  the  negotiations  the  ad- 
vantage was  always  on  the  side  of  the  Con- 
gregationalists.  Their  successes  were  even  so 
rapid  and  decisive  that  in  a  few  days  many 
cities,  the  capital  included,  were  entered  by 
the  insurgents.  Meanwhile  Henry  sent  to  the 
queen  a  veteran  corps  of  French  troops;  the 
congregational  forces  dispersed  gradually;  roy- 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


91 


•alist  lords  joined  the  royal  standard,  and  Mary- 
reentered  Edinburgh.  It  was  then  that  the  Eng- 
lish ministry,  or  rather  Cecil,  who  directed  it, 
judged  the  moment  opportune  to  execute  the 
plan  he  had  formed  to  sustain  the  revolt  of  the 
reformers.  If  the  reformers  triumphed  over  the 
royal  authority,  Elizabeth  could  easily  com- 
pel the  Queen  of  Scotland  to  renounce  her  pre- 
tensions ;  the  French  influence  in  the  country 
would  be  abolished,  reform  would  be  estab- 
lished throughout  the  kingdom,  and  the  crown 
would  most  •  probably  pass  to  that  of  the  heir 
of  the  Protestant  branch  of  the  house  of  Stu- 
art.* The  schemes  of  Cecil  did  not  end  here. 
He  hoped  that  the  new  sovereign  would  marry 
Elizabeth,  by  which  both  kingdoms  would  be 
united  under  one  crown.  It  appeared  even 
that  this  plan  of  Cecil  had  been  communicated 
to  the  Scottish  reformers  and  to  the  congrega- 
tional lords,  and  that  it  had  been  fully  adopted. 

»  The  Earl  of  Arran,  Duke  of  Chastelherault,  of  the  house  of 
Hamilton,  was  the  nearest  legitimate  heir  of  James  V.  Lord  James 
Stuart  was  his  illegitimate  son,  but  Cecil  preferred  Arran  :  neverthe- 
less, he  would  have  preferred  Lord  James,  had  not  Arran's  weakness, 
inconstancy,  and  ambition  been  well  known.  It  appeared,  besides, 
that  Arran  desired  to  be  crowned  by  revolt,  since  Henry,  a  very  short 
time  before  his  death,  had  ordered  him  to  be  arrested  and  held  for 
trial. 


92 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


Elizabeth  herself,  in  her  instructions  to  Lord 
Shrewsbury,  says  expressly  that  he  projected 
wresting  the  crown  from  Mary,  but  that  she  was 
opposed  to  it. 

Cecil's  plan  had  been  approved  of  by  the  Con- 
gregation, but  that  was  not  sufficient ;  promises 
of  assistance  could  not  be  opposed  to  the  real 
aid  which  the  regent  had  received  and  was  still 
expecting  from  France,  whence  considerable  ar- 
maments covered  the  whole  coast.  Henry,  in- 
deed, died  prematurely,  (July,  1559,)  of  a  wound 
received  at  a  tournament ;  but  the  reformers 
gained  nothing  by  his  death  ;  Mary's  husband 
ascended  the  throne,  and  the  princes  of  Lorraine 
commanded  the  French  troops  in  the  king's  name. 
Knox  urged  Cecil,  representing  that  if  the  re- 
formers did  not  receive  powerful  assistance  from 
Elizabeth,  they  would  be  compelled  to  make 
peace  with  the  queen  at  all  hazard.  Cecil,  be- 
coming alarmed,  communicated  Knox's  letters  to 
his  mistress,  whom,  to  his  great  surprise,  he  found 
very  undecided.  Elizabeth  cordially  hated  Knox. 
The  latter  had,  at  Frankfort  as  well  as  at  Geneva, 
boldly  declared  himself  against  the  Anglican 
liturgy,  and  moreover  he  had  maintained  that 
women  were  incapable  of  governing.  Less  was 
needed  to  excite  against  him  the  animosity  of. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


93 


this  princess,  who  was  no  less  devoted  to  the  lit- 
urgy of  her  father  than  she  was  confident  of  her 
own  capacity  to  wear  the  crown.  Besides, 
she  deemed  it  unworthy  of  a  crowned  head 
to  foment  rebellion  among  the  subjects  of  a 
neighboring  and  friendly  sovereign  ;  and  she  re- 
spected the  oaths  which  she  had  so  recently 
taken  to  preserve  peace  with  the  Queen  of  Scot- 
land, and  to  refuse  an  asylum  to  Scottish  rebels, 
much  less  afford  them  assistance. 

The  sophist  Cecil  easily  overcame  the  scruples 
of  his  mistress.  The  Queen  of  England  had, 
he  maintained,  a  better  right  to  the  superiority 
over  Scotland,  than  Mary  Stuart  had  to  the  pos- 
session of  the  Scottish  crown.  That  granted, 
he  did  not  urge  her  to  interfere  between  subjects 
and  their  natural  prince,  but  between  the  mesne 
lords  and  their  vassals.  It  was  the  duty  of  a 
sovereign  to  protect  the  latter  against  the  tyran- 
ny of  the  former.  And  as  these  arguments 
made  not  a  strong  enough  impression  upon  the 
queen's  mind,  Cecil  appealed  to  her  apprehen- 
sions and  jealousy.  He  depicted  the  King  and 
Queen  of  France  and  Scotland  as  declared  en- 
emies, who  looked  on  her  as  illegitimate,  and 
who  would  never  allow  her  a  moment  of  repose, 
so  long  as  they  retained  a  footing  in  Scotland. 


94 


LIFE  OP  MARY  STUART. 


This  last  and  all-powerful  consideration  ex- 
torted a  reluctant  consent  from  the  queen ;  Cecil 
did  the  rest. 

To  deceive  the  public,  three  commissioners  were 
appointed  to  reestablish  order  on  the  frontiers. 
The  Earl  of  Northumberland,  a  Catholic  and  Jac- 
obite, was  named,  together  with  Sir  James  Sadler 
and  Sir  James  Croft ;  but  these  latter  alone  were 
admitted  into  the  secret.  They  were  specially 
authorized  to  urge  the  Scottish  reformers  to  the 
resumption  of  hostilities  ;  to  supply  them  with 
money ;  to  promise  them  every  kind  of  aid  which 
could  be  furnished  without  a  manifest  breach  of 
the  peace  ;  and  to  induce  them,  if  it  was  possi- 
ble, to  depose  Mary,  and  transfer  the  crown  to 
the  house  of  Hamilton.  The  Duke  of  Chastel- 
herault,  indeed,  the  head  of  that  house,  had 
hitherto  been  faithful  to  the  cause  of  his  sover- 
eign ;  but  his  weakness,  inconstancy,  and  am- 
bition were  well  known :  there  could  be  no 
doubt  that  his  allegiance  would  yield  to  the 
temptation  of  a  crown  for  his  descendants  ;  and 
with  that  view  it  was  resolved  to  hasten  the 
return  to  Scotland  of  his  eldest  son,  now  called 
the  Earl  of  Arran,  and  who  served  in  Paris  as 
colonel  of  the  Scottish  guards.  Warned  by  the 
English  ambassador,  Throckmorton,  who  did 


'LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


95 


not  hold  at  that  time  a  very  honorable  mission, 
Arran  secretly  escaped  to  Geneva,  from  whence 
he  \vi*ote  a  letter  to  Elizabeth,  couched  in  the 
most  ardent  language.  Elizabeth  appeared  at 
first  highly  displeased.  "  It  seemeth,"  she  says, 
"  very  strange  that  the  Earl  of  Arran  maketh 
mention  in  his  letters  that  he  hath  cause  to  thank 
us  for  the  offers  made  to  hym  by  us.  We  be  in 
doubt  what  to  thynk,  and  do  much  mislyke  that 
any  such  occasion  should  be  gyven  by  any  man- 
ner of  message  done  to  hym."  It  appears  that 
Cecil  had  not  confided  to  Elizabeth  his  ulterior 
projects,  and  that  the  offer  to  which  Arran  re- 
ferred was  the  hand  of  Elizabeth  herself,  in  the 
event  of  success  in  the  war  against  the  regent. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  the  earl  came  from  Geneva 
to  London  incognito ;  was  admitted  to  a  secret 
interview  with  Elizabeth,  and  to  several  confer- 
ences with  Cecil ;  and  then  continued  his  jour- 
ney to  Scotland,  until,  with  the  assistance  of 
Sadler  and  Croft,  he  reached  his  father's  castle 
of  Hamilton. 

Meanwhile  the  commissioners  had  not  re- 
mained inactive,  and  the  congregational  lords 
only  demanded  to  he  convinced  that  their  cause 
was  just.  Sadler  and  Croft  undertook  this  easy 
task.    Was  not  the  cause  in  effect  eminently 


96 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART* 


Christian  and  patriotic  which  had  for  its  object 
the  extirpation  of  idolatry^  and  the  liberation  of 
the  country  from  all  foreign  sway  ?  These  were, 
undoubtedly,  two  very  meritorious  things  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Congregationalists,  and  they  were 
altogether  disposed  to  procure  the  double  glory 
of  destroying  Catholic  worship  and  depriving 
their  queen  of  the  throne.  The  English  commis- 
sioners urged  the  folly  of  postponing  the  attempt 
until  the  regent  should  have  acquired  a  decided 
superiority  by  the  aid  of  the  Duke  of  Guise.  At 
the  same  time,  the  report  which  they  artfully 
circulated,  that  the  French  cabinet  had  deter- 
mined to  annex  Scotland  as  a  province  to  France, 
made  a  deep  impression  on  the  public  mind ;  a 
promise  of  neutrality  was  obtained  from  the  Duke 
of  Chastelherault,  and  several  Catholic  lords  en- 
gaged to  draw  their  swords  in  defence  of  the 
liberties  of  their  country. 

The  insurgents  desired  to  demonstrate  by  ar- 
guments, more  or  less  captious,  that  they  were 
right  in  taking  up  arms  against  the  lawful  au- 
thority. Every  rebel  wishes  to  have  a  motive 
when  he  revolts ;  he  is  only  wrong  when  he 
yields.  The  Scottish  reformers  contended,  in 
justification  of  their  criminal  aggression,  that 
the  regent  had  committed  two  breaches  of  the 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


97 


capitulation  of  Edinburgh  :  1.  By  having  allowed 
mass  to  be  celebrated  in  Holyrood  Chapel ;  2.  By 
having  received  reenforcements  from  France. 
Arran,  whose  arrival  had  been  hitherto  concealed, 
suddenly  appeared  before  the  Congregationalists ; 
and,  as  the  news  of  his  being  the  destined  hus- 
band of  Elizabeth  had  gained  circulation,  he  was 
received  with  extraordinary  honors.  Two  thou- 
sand pounds  sterling,  distributed  seasonably,  ren- 
dered the  lords  very  complaisant. 

The  regent,  however,  appeared  ready  to  face 
the  storm.  She  offered  peace,  on  the  basis  of 
real  liberty  of  conscience ;  but  at  the  same  time 
she  informed  them  that  she  would  defend  her 
daughter's  rights  by  every  means  in  her  power. 
Her  offers  were  rejected :  Chastelherault  openly 
joined  the  Congregation;  and  the  insurgents, 
being  briskly  urged  by  the  English  commission- 
ers, as  well  as  the  enthusiastic  Knox,  moved  in 
considerable  force  towards  Edinburgh.  The  re- 
gent had  fortified  the  city  and  port  of  Leith, 
whither  she  retired  with  her  defenders;  so  that 
the  rebels  entered  the  capital  without  opposition, 
where  two  parties  were  formed,  the  one  under  the 
presidency  of  Chastelherault,  for  the  despatch  of 
political  business,  the  other  under  that  of  Kno:?^, 
for  the  regulation  of  spiritual  concerns. 
9 


98 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART, 


The  first  party  pronounced  it  expedient,  the 
second  lawful,  to  take  from  the  regent  the  exer- 
cise of  her  authority :  her  deprivation  "vvas  pro- 
claimed by  sound  of  trumpet ;  and  she  herself,  as 
well  as  her  aiders  and  abettors,  were  declared 
enemies  to  the  country.  The  regent  was  still 
supported  by  the  Earl  of  Huntley,  lord  chancel- 
lor, the  earls  marischal  and  Bothwell,  and  most 
of  the  bishops.  Her  force  amounted  to  between 
two  and  three  thousand  Scottish  and  French 
veterans,  whose  superior  discipline  and  experi- 
ence rendered  them  more  than  a  match  for  the 
bravery  and  enthusiasm  of  the  ten  thousand  con- 
gregational soldiers.  In  an  attack  on  the  city 
of  Leith,  the  latter  were  repulsed  with  some  loss. 

Sadler  and  Croft,  the  two  vile  agents,  —  they 
cannot  be  called  commissioners,  —  ex<^laimed, 
"  Good  !  good  !  Blood  has  flown,  and  it  will  yet 
flow  for  a  long  time."  But  in  Knox  and  Cecil 
it  created  a  well-founded  doubt  of  the  ultimate 
result.  Knox,  in  the  most  urgent  terms,  de- 
manded the  aid  of  t^vo  thousand  English  troops ; 
and,  anticipating  the  objection  which  might  be 
drawn  from  the  existence  of  peace  betr^^een  the 
two  crowns,  he  suggested  that  they  should  serve 
as  volunteers,  in  apparent  opposition  to  the  will 
of  their  sovereign,  and  under  a  sentence  of  out- 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


99 


lawry  and  treason.  Cecil  did  not  appear  to  be  a 
man  who  would  recoil  from  any  proposition,  no 
matter  how  perfidious  it  was ;  he  recoiled,  how- 
ever, before  that  of  Knox,  not  daring  to  carry 
duplicity  to  such  an  extent,  or  rather  fearing  that 
the  queen  would  oppose  this  measure,  and  that 
his  favor  would  suffer  by  it.  He  knew  that  his 
mistress,  if  to-day  she  was  more  than  man^  would 
to-morroio  be  less  than  woman* 

In  truth,  if  Elizabeth  was  jealous  of  the  Queen 
of  Scotland,  she  was  also  jealous  of  her  own 
reputation ;  willing  to  injure  her  rival  by  every 
means  in  her  power,  but  unwilling  to  be  con- 
sidered as  the  abettor  of  insurrection  and  treason. 
She  had  hitherto  been  induced  to  approve  of  the 
plans  of  her  disloyal  minister ;  but  it  had  required 
all  his  art,  all  the  intrigues  of  his  confidential 
friends,  to  obtain  her  consent.  Elizabeth,  be- 
sides, knew  well  that  to  favor  the  revolt  of  sub- 
jects against  their  sovereign  is  not  a  becoming 
part  for  another  sovereign.  Might  not  the  Queen 
of  England,  whose  legitimacy  was  contested, 
teach  the  English,  by  placing  the  example  of  the 
Scots  before  them,  how  a  mutinous  people  might 
take  advantage  of  their  strength,  overturn  the 

*  An  expression  made  use  of  by  Cecil  himself  to  characterize 
Elizabeth. 


100 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


throne,  elevate  a  second  upon  the  wreck  of 
the  first,  and  —  to  arrive  at  this  point — pass 
through  all  the  phases  of  disorder,  immorality, 
and  anarchy? 

One  of  Cecil's  most  useful  auxiliaries  v^as 
Throckmorton,  the  ambassador  to  France  ;  who, 
by  his  conduct,  which  was  a  continual  violation 
of  the  law  of  nations,  was  unworthy  of  this  title. 
He  transmitted  reports  often  apocryphal,  almost 
always  exaggerated,  and  by  suggesting  as  from 
himself  to  Cecil  that  advice  which  Cecil  durst 
not  openly  tender  to  the  queen,  succeeded  in 
confirming  her  jealousy,  and  keeping  alive  her 
apprehensions.  He  requested  permission  to  re- 
turn home,  ostensibly  on  account  of  his  wife's 
illness,  in  reality  to  inform  the  queen  "  that  when- 
soever the  French  should  make  an  end  with  Scot- 
land, they  would  begin  with  England."  Eliza- 
beth, becoming  alarmed,  authorized  Cecil  to  aid 
the  Congregationalists  with  advice  and  money ; 
but  bad  news  arrived  from  Scotland.  The  insur- 
gents had  attacked  the  garrison  of  Leith,  and 
been  repulsed.  They  were  even  so  frightened 
that,  although  the  royalists  had  returned  to  Leith, 
they  disbanded  and  fled;  nor  did  they  slacken 
their  speed  until  they  had  reached  Stirling,  a  dis- 
tance of  thirty  miles.    There  Knox  reproached 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


101 


them  so  bitterly  with  their  cowardice  that  they 
burned  with  shame  for  having  fled.  Their  cour- 
age especially  revived  when  they  received  prom- 
ises of  money  to  pay,  and  of  officers  to  discipline, 
their  forces ;  and  were  assured  that  a  fleet  should 
be  equipped  to  intercept  all  communication  be- 
tween Leith  and  France. 

In  return  for  these  promises,  Cecil  required 
that  the  insurgents  should  send  to  London  an 
accredited  agent  with  a  petition  for  support,  that 
the  queen  might  afterwards  have  some  instru- 
ment to  produce  in  justification  of  her  conduct. 
The  insurgents  deputed  Maitland,  a  statesman 
of  great  abilities,  who  had  been  the  regent's  sec- 
retary, but,  lately  deserting  to  the  Congregation- 
alists,  had  betrayed  to  them  the  secrets  of  his  late 
mistress.  He  presented  to  Elizabeth  a  petition, 
which  had  been  previously  drawn  up  by  Cecil 
and  approved  by  herself,  which  Sadler  showed  to 
Maitland  as  his  own  composition,  and  in  which 
the  Scots  were  made  to  speak  so  as  to  deceive 
foreign  diplomacy  and  conceal  the  share  Eng- 
land had  taken  in  these  manoeuvres.  This  peti- 
tion was  drawn  up  with  so  much  art,  that  Mait- 
land acknowledged  it  was  preferable  to  that 
which  he  had  brought  with  him. 

De  Noailles,  the  French  ambassador,  on  learn- 
9* 


102 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


ing  that  Maitland  was  seen  to  enter  Throckmor- 
ton's lodgings,  demanded  an  explanation  of  the 
warlike  preparations  on  the  Thames  and  in  the 
northern  counties.  The  perfidious  Elizabeth  per- 
sonally assured  him  of  her  determination  to 
maintain  the  peace  of  Cateau  Cambresis ;  and  as 
Noailles  did  not  appear  fully  convinced,  she 
added,  "  May  the  malediction  of  Heaven  fall 
upon  the  head  of  the  one  who  first  violates  the 
treaty  I "  Elizabeth  did  not  believe  herself  bound 
more  by  this  terrible  imprecation  than  if  she  had 
sworn  by  the  Styx  or  the  three  Parcse.  Noailles, 
however,  was  not  deceived ;  he  immediately  de- 
nounced her  hostile  intention  to  the  regent  and 
the  King  of  France. 

The  Congregationalists,  encouraged  by  the 
assurances  of  Cecil,  had  called  a  general  meeting 
at  Stirling ;  but  before  their  arrival,  a  detachment 
from  the  garrison  of  Leith  suddenly  seized  the 
place.  From  Stirling  the  royalists  went  in  pur- 
suit of  the  Earl  of  Arran  and  Lord  James.  Ar- 
rived at  the  promontory  of  Kingcraig,  a  fleet  was 
perceived  sailing  towards  the  coast,  and  soon  after 
the  English  colors  were  displayed.  The  guns  of 
the  fleet  being  turned  upon  the  royalists,  they  im- 
mediately began  to  retrace  their  steps;  and  it  is 
a  proof  of  their  superior  discipline,  that,  during  a 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


103 


retreat  of  six  days  through  a  hostile  country,  they 
suffered  but  inconsiderable  loss. 

Elizabeth  had  the  impudence,  not  to  deny  this 
act  of  hostility,  but  to  contend  that  the  fleet's 
only  mission  was  to  supply  Berwick  with  pro- 
visions, that  stress  of  weather  had  driven  the 
vessels  into  the  Frith,  and  that  the  jealousy  or 
the  mistake  of  the  French  commanders  who  fired 
on  the  English  from  the  batteries  at  Leith,  Brunt 
Island,  and  Inchkeith,  had  compelled  the  admiral 
to  make  reprisals  in  his  own  defence.  This  spe- 
cious tale,  though  officially  attested,  was  not  even 
believed  in  England.  Noailles  openly  complained 
of  the  notorious  falsity  of  the  allegations  con- 
tained in  the  note  sent  to  him,  and  insisted  that 
Admiral  Winter  should  be  brought  before  a 
commission  of  inquiry.  The  commission  was 
appointed,  and  the  affair  smothered  over,  without 
France  finding  cause  to  complain.  Cecil  knew 
well  that  this  court  would  have  enough  of  diffi- 
culty to  extricate  itself,  even  in  France,  from  the 
embarrassments  which  he  created. 

Soon  after  the  death  of  Henry  IL,  Elizabeth's 
minister  undertook  to  excite  in  that  country  dis- 
sensions similar  to  those  which  he  had  fomented 
in  Scotland,  by  arming  the  princes  of  the  blood 
and  the  Calvinists  against  their  new  monarch. 


104 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


The  traitor  Throckmorton,  who  deserved  a  halter, 
had  an  interview  with  Antoine  de  Bourbon, 
King  of  Navarre  and  brother  of  the  Prince  of 
Conde.  He  stated,  in  general  terms,  the  esteem 
which  Elizabeth  had  for  him,  and  the  danger 
which  the  reformed  religion  would  experience 
under  the  administration  of  the  house  of  Guise ; 
and  he  allowed  him  to  foresee,  as  possible,  his 
being  put  in  possession  of  the  kingdom  of  Na- 
varre. Antoine,  who  was  an  undecided  prince, 
and  poorly  qualified  to  act  as  a  party  leader, 
answered  evasively.  The  result  of  Throckmor- 
ton's intrigues  was  the  formation  of  an  associa- 
tion between  the  King  of  Navarre,  Conde, 
Admiral  Coligni,  Dandelot,  and  the  Cardinal  of 
Chastillon,  the  three  latter  nephews  of  Constable 
Montmorency. 

But  when  Throckmorton  departed  for  London, 
as  we  have  seen,  he  was  followed  by  the  misera- 
ble La  Renaudie,  the  apparent  head  of  the  con- 
spiracy formed  against  the  Duke  of  Guise.  This 
adventurer  did  not  hesitate  to  expose  his  life  in  a 
career,  where,  in  case  of  failure,  the  halter  would 
be  his  reward,  in  case  of  success  a  vile  salary, 
the  only  reward  worthy  of  conspirators,  assas- 
sins, and  traitors.  Will  it  be  believed  that  Eliz- 
abeth did  not  disdain  seeing   La  Renaudie, 


LIFE  OP  MARY  STUART. 


105 


informing  him  of  her  wishes  for  the  success  of 
the  enterprise,  and  promising  him  assistance  ?  * 

What,  then,  was  the  enterprise  in  which  Eliz- 
abeth so  nobly  joined  ?  Its  object  was  to  attack 
the  court  suddenly,  seize  the  king  and  queen,  — 
Mary  Stuart  was  Elizabeth's  coveted  prey, — 
and  elevate  the  Prince  of  Conde  to  the  throne, 
after  having  assassinated  the  Cardinal  of  Lor- 
raine and  the  Duke  of  Guise.  At  the  same  time 
the  Queen  of  England  ordered  the  Duke  of 
Norfolk  —  whom  she  had  formerly  charged  with 
the  derisive  mission  of  inquiring  into  the  aggres- 
sion of  Admiral  Winter  —  to  conclude  a  treaty 
with  the  Congregation.  The  French  ambassa- 
dor opposed  it  with  all  his  power  ;  he  even  offered 
to  withdraw  from  Scotland  the  greater  part  of 
the  French  forces,  and  to  refer  the  matters  in 
dispute,  between  the  reformers  and  their  sov- 
ereign to  the  arbitration  of  Elizabeth  herself. 
Elizabeth  was  careful  not  to  accept  the  arbitra- 
tion, the  result  of  which  would  have  been  opposed 
to  her  ulterior  projects-,  and  the  treaty  was  con- 
cluded by  Norfolk.    It  was  stipulated  that  an 

*  This  La  Renaudie  was  a  native  of  the  province  of  Perigord ;  he 
had  been  pursued  for  the  commission  of  mayhem,  and  had  for  a  long 
time  sought  an  asylum  without  the  kingdom.  He  returned  to  be  a 
conspirator. 


106 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


English  army  should  remain  in  Scotland  until 
the  French  were  expelled  from  that  kingdom, 
and  that  the  Scots  should  never  consent  to  the 
union  of  their  crown  with  that  of  France,  should 
aid  Elizabeth  with  four  thousand  men  in  case  of 
invasion,  and  should  give  her  hostages  for  their 
fidelity  to  these  engagements. 

In  the  mean  time  the  English  minister  did  not 
lose  sight  of  France,  and  he  exerted  himself  the 
more  to  assist  the  reformers  to  overturn  the  house 
of  Guise,  because  he  feared  that  the  Guise,  if 
triumphant,  would  send  an  army  into  Scotland  ; 
for  the  cardinal  and  duke  had  been  proclaimed 
sole  ministers  by  Francis  II.,  and  there  was  every 
reason  to  believe  that  they  would  not  suffer  the 
kingdom  of  their  niece  to  devolve  to  her  jealous 
rival.  The  enterprise  was  difficult,  for,  besides 
the  qualities  which  please  the  multitude,  the 
Guise  possessed  those  which  subdue  rebels  — 
courage  and  talents.  The  duke,  modest,  gener- 
ous, passionate  for  glory,  discreet,  provident,  the 
bravest  soldier,  the  most  skilful  general,  excelled 
all  his  contemporaries  by  as  much  as  merit  and 
science  excel  blind  routine.  The  cardinal,  en- 
dowed with  great  penetration,  was  very  learned 
in  theology,  politics,  administrative  and  financial 
affairs  :  not  less  eloquent  than  Knox,  his  dicourse 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


107 


was  more  attractive,  and  his  style  more  engaging. 
In  fine,  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  make  a 
better  choice  of  a  minister  and  of  a  general, 
equally  worthy  of  the  royal  confidence. 

The  Guise  appeared  like  firm  Colossi,  relied 
on,  as  they  were,  by  the  clergy,  nobility,  and 
people  ;  the  first  through  zeal  for  religion,  the 
existence  of  which  was  threatened  by  impious 
innovators  ;  the  second  because,  ruined  by  the 
wars  of  the  preceding  reigns,  they  needed  the 
reestablishment  of  their  fortunes  ;  the  third  be- 
cause they  only  desired  to  be  freed  from  the 
subsidies  which  would  naturally  be  maintained, 
if  not  increased,  so  long  as  the  war  would  last. 
The  disturbers  were,  nevertheless,  not  discour- 
aged, but  secretly  agitated  all  classes,  especially 
seeking  for  enemies  of  the  throne.  The  cardinal, 
having  been  informed  of  the  plans  of  the  con- 
spirators, had  succeeded  in  removing  the  King 
of  Navarre  by  proposing  to  him  to  conduct  the 
Princess  Elizabeth  of  France  to  Spain,  who 
was  promised  by  the  treaty  of  Cateau  Cambre- 
sis  to  Philip  IL,  and  not  to  his  son  Don  Carlos, 
as  some  are  pleased  to  repeat,  in  order  to  load 
the  memory  of  Philip  with  a  new  outrage  ;  but 
the  Prince  of  Conde  and  the  nephews  of  Mont- 
morency still  remained  ;  moreover,  the  reformers 


108 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


had  a  numerous  party  in  Parliament,  and  they  had 
assassins  in  their  pay  besides.  Parliament,  hur- 
ried away  by  the  factious  eloquence  of  some  of 
its  members,  and  desirous  of  maintaining  their 
usurped  claims  to  the  administration  of  the 
kingdom,  served  the  cause  of  reform  by  their 
remonstrances,  without  being  aware  of  it ;  but 
the  reformers  wished  to  employ  more  expeditious 
means. 

They  had  employed  Captain  Mazeres,  a  brave 
man,  but  a  fanatic,  to  assassinate  the  Duke  of 
Guise.  His  proceedings  appearing  suspicious, 
he  was  arrested  and  brought  before  the  duke, 
who,  beholding  him  armed  with  a  very  long 
sword,  expressed  great  surprise  that  a  man  who 
had  given  proof  in  war  of  valor  and  address, 
should  have  chosen  a  sw^ord  the  length  of  which 
rendered  it  very  troublesome  to  handle.  "  My 
lord,"  said  the  captain  to  him,  "  I  have  already 
experienced  this,  and  that  more  than  once ;  but 
to  speak  candidly,  when  I  consider  your  valor 
and  enraged  presence,  I  have  not  the  courage  to 
attack  you  close  at  hand,  and  I  therefore  resolved 
to  deal  with  you  at  a  distance  ;  so  that  if,  in- 
stead of  this  sword,  I  could  have  borne  a  pike,  I 
would  have  done  so,  so  terrible  and  formidable 
is  your  presence  to  me."    This  singular  harangue 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


109 


did  not  displease  the  Duke  of  Guise,  who,  natu- 
rally magnanimous,  pardoned  the  captain.*  The 
attempt  of  Parliament  against  the  Guise  was 
not  so  serious,  and  was  unravelled  in  a  manner 
amusing  enough.  This  respectable  body  had 
determined  to  address  to  the  king  humble  re- 
monstrances against  the  exorbitant  power  of 
the  Duke  of  Guise  and  the  Cardinal  of  Lor- 
raine ;  and  to  give  more  weight  to  these  re- 
monstrances, they  decided  that  the  entire  Par- 

*  It  was  the  destiny  of  Guise  to  perish  by  the  hand  of  an  assassin. 
It  is  known  that  he  was  killed  on  the  18th  of  February,  1563,  whilst 
besieging  Orleans,  by  the  Calvinist  Poltrot  de  Mere.  During  the 
preceding  year,  a  noble  Anc/evm  had  been  arrested,  who  intended  to 
assassinate  him,  whilst  at  the  siege  of  Rouen.  The  queen  mother, 
Catharine  de'  Medici,  being  informed  of  the  design  of  this  man, 
secretly  informed  the  duke  of  it.  He  caused  him  to  be  brought  in 
his  presence,  and  reproached  him  with  his  criminal  intention,  demand- 
ing of  him  why  he  wished  his  life.  The  Angevin,  confounded,  cast 
himself  at  the  feet  of  the  Prince  of  Lorraine,  and  implored  his  mercy ; 
he  confessed  that  he  had  been  persuaded  that,  by  killing  him,  he 
would  have  delivered  his  religion  of  its  most  dangerous  enemy. 
"  Well ! "  answered  Guise,  "  compare  my  religion  with  yours. 
Yours  counsels  you  to  kill  me  without  hearing  me,  whilst  mine  com- 
mands me  to  pardon  you." 

These  are  the  same  sentiments  which  we  find  paraphrased  in  those 
beautiful  verses  of  Alzire,  which  Guzman  addresses  to  his  murderer, 
Zamore :  — 

"Des  dieux  que  nous  servons  connais  la  difference  : 

Les  tiens  font  command^  le  meurtre  et  la  vengeance  ; 

Et  le  mien,  quand  ton  bras  vient  de  m'assassiner, 

M'ordonne  de  te  plaindre  et  de  te  pardonner." 

10 


110 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


liament,  with  the  president  at  their  head,  should 
present  them  in  person  to  their  sovereign. 
Francis,  who  was,  as  is  known,  a  pupil  of  the 
famous  Amyot,  at  that  time  Abbot  of  Bellozane, 
and  afterwards  Bishop  of  Auxerre,  was  very 
fond  of  Latin  poetry,  and  Mary  Stuart  partook 
of  this  taste.  At  the  moment  when  Parliament 
was  announced,  the  two  young  consorts  were 
reading  together  Virgil's  Bucolics.  The  cardinal, 
who  had  previously  learned  the  hour  and  object 
of  this  visit,  and  who  wished  to  be  present  to 
protect  his  interest,  took  care  to  be  in  the  king's 
apartment.  He,  casting  his  eyes  towards  the 
balcony,  perceived  the  long,  black  robes  of  the 
magistrates.  "  My  uncle,"  exclaimed  he,  ad- 
dressing the  cardinal,  "what  is  all  that  crowd 
there  for  ?  "  "  What  is  it  ?  "  replied  the  car- 
dinal ;  "  Pecus  omne  magistri ; "  a  double  allusion 
to  a  passage  in  the  Bucolics  which  the  king  had 
before  him,  and  to  the  name  of  the  first  president, 
Le  Maistre.  "  Ah,  well !  what  is  he  doing  with 
all  his  flock  ?  "  then  said  the  queen,  continuing 
the  allusion.  "  Really,  madam,"  replied  the  car- 
dinal, "  he  comes  to  prove  to  the  king  that  I  and 
my  brother  also  are  but  brutes."  How  these 
remonstrances  were  received  remains  yet  to  be 
seen :  the  king  was  pleased  to  reply  that  he  was 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


Ill 


very  well  satisfied  with  the  services  of  his  two 
uncles. 

In  the  interim,  the  15th  of  March  was  ap- 
pointed for  the  execution  of  the  conspiracy.'  The 
court  being  at  Blois,  and  the  Guise  having  ac- 
companied the  king  thither,  the  rendezvous  of 
the  conspirators  was  named  at  the  same  place. 
They  hoped  to  surprise  the  Guise,  who  appeared 
to  suspect  nothing;  nevertheless,  they  had  no- 
ticed something  extraordinary,  and  had  vague 
fears  of  a  conspiracy ;  they  removed  the  court 
from  Blois  to  Amboise,  where  there  was  a  castle 
which  could  be  suddenly  protected.  A  friend  of 
La  Renaudie,  to  whom  he  had  confided  the  plot, 
becoming  alarmed  at  the  evils  which  the  success 
of  the  conspiracy  would  cause  to  France,  hap- 
pily believed  that  he  was  conscientiously  bound 
to  inform  the  two  brothers  of  it.  Linieres,  one 
of  the  conspirators  mentioned  by  the  informer, 
had  several  brothers  in  the  service  of  the  queen 
mother ;  a  large  reward  engaged  him  to  betray 
his  friends.  Thus  forewarned,  the  ministers  pre- 
pared their  measures.  The  cardinal  desired  the 
assistance  of  troops  ;  but  the  duke,  although  con- 
ceding that  the  arrival  of  troops  would  render 
the  conspiracy  abortive,  feared  that  the  conspira- 
tors would  not  be  surprised :  he  wished,  on  the 


112 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


contrary,  that  they  should  be  taken  in  the  perpe- 
tration of  the  crime. 

La  Renaudie,  on  learning  that  the  king  had 
repaired  to  Amboise,  postponed  the  execution 
of  the  project  from  the  15th  to  the  16th.  He 
was  ignorant  that  the  Princes  of  Lorraine,  hav- 
ing been  informed  of  his  plan,  had  taken  decisive 
precautions';  he  was  killed  before  his  arrival  at 
Amboise,  and  his  body  suspended  on  a  gibbet. 
All  those  who  were  seized  —  and  the  number 
was  great  —  underwent  the  same  punishment. 
The  Chancellor  Olivier,  who  Avas  strongly  sus- 
pected of  favoring  reform,  obtained  an  amnesty 
from  the  king  for  all  the  rebels  who  had  not  been 
executed ;  but  such  was  the  blind  obstinacy  of 
these  vii-tuous  reformers,  who,  to  serve  their 
religion,  became  assassins,  that  some  of  them 
endeavored  to  penetrate  by  night  into  the  city 
and  seize  the  castle.  Guise,  becoming  furious, 
revoked  the  amnesty,  and  many  of  the  reformers 
perished.  The  Prince  of  Conde  was  detained  a 
prisoner,  not  under  a  direct  accusation,  but  upon 
strong  suspicion.  Conde  complained  and  de- 
manded a  trial,  upon  which  the  king  granted 
him  an  audience  before  the  whole  court.  He 
pleaded  his  own  cause  \\dth  much  confidence, 
and  concluded  by  formally  defying  any  one  to 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


113 


accuse  him  of  having  dared  to  excite  the  French 
to  revolt  against  their  king.  It  was,  however, 
certain  that  he  was  in  Amboise  with  a  great 
number  of  his  partisans,  and  that  if  La  Re- 
naudie's  attack  had  succeeded,  he  would  have 
headed  the  conspirators.  But  this  la.ct,  which 
public  opinion  regarded  as  proved,  had  not 
been  juridically  established.  Thus  the  matter 
rested. 

When  Elizabeth  learned  the  failure  of  the 
conspiracy  of  A  mboise,  she  began  to  waver ;  but 
she  was  assured  that  a  civil  war  would  inevita- 
bly follow,  and  that  it  would  be  both  honorable 
and  profitable  for  her  to  interfere.  Consequently 
she  permitted  the  publication  of  a  most  extraor- 
dinary state  paper,  entitled  A  Declaration  of 
Peace,  but  intended  as  a  justification  of  war. 
"  She  was,"  she  said,  "  the  ally  and  friend  of  the 
King  and  Queen  of  France,  but  the  enemy  of 
their  ministers  ;  she  took  up  arms  to  oppose  their 
ambitious  ends,  and  she  would  not  lay  them 
down  so  long  as  a  French  soldier  remained  in 
Scotland."  An  English  army,  under  Lord  Gray, 
crossed  the  frontier,  and  having  joined  the  in- 
surgents, besieged  Leith ;  but,  on  one  side,  the 
vigorous  defence  of  the  besieged  retarded  the  oper- 
ation of  the  besiegers ;  on  the  other  hand,  they 
10* 


114 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


were  restrained  by  the  contradictory  orders  which 
the  queen  continually  sent  them. 

Elizabeth  was  hurried  away  almost  in  spite  of 
herself.  When  an  evil  course  is  pursued,  each 
step  is  a  fault,  and  from  fault  to  fault  a  point  is 
reached  which  affrights  one  at  his  position.  At 
first  she  only  consented  to  supply  the  insurgents 
with  money ;  afterwards  her  fleet  appeared  in  the 
Frith ;  her  pride  so  far  revolted  from  treating  with 
rebels ;  soon  these  rebels,  the  subjects  of  another 
sovereign,  obtained  from  her  a  formal  treaty. 
Subsequently,  she  made  protestations  to  the 
Queen  of  Scotland  of  her  fidelity  to  her  engage- 
ments, and  she  received,  she  encouraged  him  who 
repaired  to  Scotland  to  dethrone  his  sovereign ; 
she  gave,  through  her  ambassador  at  Paris,  the 
most  positive  assurance  that  peace  would  be 
maintained,  and  this  unworthy  ambassador  fo-* 
mented  the  revolt,  and  protected  the  rebels  ;  final- 
ly, in  her  last  proclamation  she  styled  herself 
the  friend  of  the  King  and  Queen  of  France,  and 
her  army  besieged  Leith  —  the  only  place  remain- 
ing to  the  Queen  of  Scotland  —  under  pretence 
of  expelling  thence  the  French,  who  were  the 
only  defenders  of  this  queen.  It  is  not,  then, 
astonishing,  that  the  operations  of  the  siege  were 
paralyzed  by  the  irresolute  and  contradictory 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


115 


humors  of  the.  queen.  Thus  she  commanded  her 
general  to  prefer  negotiation  to  arms ;  rejected  a 
new  project  of  accommodation ;  permitted  the 
French  envoy  to  treat  with  the  Scottish  lords  ; 
ordered  the  siege  to  be  vigorously  carried  on  ;  and 
then  reproached  her  ministers  with  having  extort- 
ed her  consent  to  what,  she  feared,  must  prove  a 
miserable  failure.  Her  conjectures  were  partly 
verified.  Lord  Gray  made  a  general  assault,  in 
which  he  was  energetically  repulsed,  with  the 
loss  of  one  thousand  men.  (1560.) 

Elizabeth  almost  rejoiced  at  a  result  which  she 
had  foreseen,  and  after  a  stormy  debate  with 
Cecil,  she  insisted  that  he  should  proceed  to 
Scotland,  and  extinguish  by  negotiation  the  flame 
which  he  had  enkindled.  Cecil  submitted  with 
an  evil  grace,  and  a  preliminary  treaty  was  signed 
at  Berwick,  between  the  French  envoys  and  him- 
self, on  the  14th  of  June,  1560,  at  the  moment 
when  the  news  was  received  of  the  death  of  the 
regent,  a  princess  of  distinguished  talents  and 
moderation,  who  had  sacrificed  her  health  of 
body  and  peace  of  mind  in  sxipport  of  her  daugh- 
ter's interests.  During  her  indisposition,  she  was 
received  wdthin  the  Castle  of  Edinburgh,  through 
the  humanity  of  Lord  Erskine,  who  held  that  for- 
tress by  a  commission  from  the  three  estates,  and 


116 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


professed  to  observe  the  most  scrupulous  neutrali- 
ty during  the  contest.  From  her  death  bed,  Mary- 
sent  for  the  chiefs  of  the  two  opposite  parties, 
recommended  to  their  care  the  weal  of -the  king- 
dom and  the  rights  of  the  sovereign,  and  saluting 
each  of  the  lords,  and  giving  her  hand  to  the 
commoners,  she  publicly  forgave  every  injury 
which  she  had  received,  and  asked  forgiveness  of 
those  whom  she  had  offended.  She  expired, 
regretted  by  the  Catholics  and  royalists,  and 
esteemed  by  her  very  opponents.  Knox  alone 
endeavored  to  slander  her  memory ;  but  his  poi- 
sonous venom  recoiled  upon  himself. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

DEATH  OF  FRANCIS  II.  —  MARY'S  RETURN  TO  SCOTLAND. 

The  French  commissioners.  Randan  and 
Montluc,  had  been  empowered  to  grant  an  am- 
nesty to  the  insurgents,  provided  they  would 
return  to  their  duty.  The  offer  was  accepted; 
but  at  the  same  time  demands  were  made,  which, 
whilst  allowing  a  nominal  supremacy  to  the 
sovereign,  tended  to  transfer  the  exercise  of  the 
royal  authority  to  the  lords  of  the  Congregation. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


117 


At  first  the  commissioners  defended  with  spirit 
the  rights  of  the  crown  ;  but  necessity  compelled, 
them  to  submit  to  more  than  their  powers  would 
justify  :  and  it  was  ultimately  agreed  that,  after 
the  removal  of  the  French  troops,  a  convention 
of  the  three  estates  should  be  held ;  that  out  of  the 
twenty-four  persons  named  by  the  convention, 
the  queen  should  select  seven,  the  estates  five,  to 
be  intrusted  with  the  government  of  the  realm. 
To  these  conditions  was  appended  a  demand  by 
the  Congregation,  that  the  new  worship  be  the 
established  faith.  But  on  this  point  the  com- 
missioners refused  to  yield,  and  Cecil  himself 
Approved  of  their  refusal. 

A  second  treaty  between  the  French  and 
English  commissioners  was  at  length  concluded. 
Francis  and  Mary  recognized  the  rights  of  Eliza- 
beth to  the  crown  (5f  England  ;  and  it  was  stipu- 
lated that,  as  the  French  king  and  queen  had 
made  several  concessions  to  their  Scottish  sub- 
jects, at  the  petition  of  the  English  queen,  so 
they  should  ratify  those  concessions  whenever 
the  Scots  themselves  had  fulfilled  the  conditions 
on  which  they  had  been  granted.  Elizabeth  was 
eager  to  ratify  a  treaty,  the  sixth  clause  of  which 
was  a  formal  recognition  of  her  claims;  but  her 
eagerness  was  met  with  equal  reluctance  on  the 


118 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


part  of  Francis  and  Mary,  who  based  their  re- 
fusal on  the  want  of  authority  in  their  com- 
missioners, and  the  subsequent  misconduct  of 
their  Scottish  subjects.  The  lords  of  the  Con- 
gregation had  called  a  convention  of  the  estates 
without  the  royal  commission ;  had  abolished 
throughout  the  realm  the  worship  hitherto  estab- 
lished by  law ;  and  had  refused  compensation  to 
the  clergy,  who  had  suffered  losses  during  the  late 
insurrection* — three  points  in  direct  contradiction 
to  the  treaty  of  Edinburgh.  They  had  even  sent 
an  embassy  to  Elizabeth,  as  if  they  possessed  the 

*  The  reformers,  who  had  the  majority  in  the  convention,  con- 
demned the  Catholic  worship  and  all  its  accessories,  and  they  in- 
cluded the  new  principles  in  a  profession  of  faith  digested  by  Knox 
and  his  friends.  Scottish  reform  differed  essentially  from  Anglican- 
ism, as  by  the  latter  the  reigning  sovereign  is  constituted  sovereign 
pontiff,  the  visible  head  of  the  church  ;  the  former  neither  allows  the 
king  nor  his  officers  to  interfere  in  religious  affairs,  which  are  regu- 
lated by  a  general  assembly,  composed  of  members  of  the  church 
itself.  No  more  was  hierarchy  recognized ;  the  priest  has  no  supe- 
rior in  the  priesthood,  God  being  the  only  superior.  As  the  ecclesi- 
astical reformers  exhibited  much  indifference  for  terrestrial  honors 
and  dignities,  the  convention  judged  that  gross  revenues  would  be 
useless  to  them.  It  confined  them  to  an  annual  salary,  and  the  lords, 
who  had  for  a  long  time  coveted  the  property  of  the  clergy,  appropri- 
ated to  themselves  all  their  effects  without  the  slightest  scruple.  In 
vain  did  Knox  and  his  associates  propose  founding  with  the  wealth 
of  the  Catholic  clergy  a  national  church,  hospitals,  public  schools,  and 
universities.  The  lords  had  not  seized  to  restore,  and  they  ingen- 
iously eluded  legislating  upon  Knox's  proposition. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


119 


sovereign  authority;  and  what  perhaps  proved 
more  offensive  to  the  pride  of  the  French  cabinet, 
that  embassy  consisted  of  peers,  whilst  only  a 
single  knight  had  been  deputed  to  their  own 
sovereign.  When  Throckmorton  required  that 
Francis  and  Mary  should  ratify  the  treaty,  they 
replied  that  the  Scots  had  not  fulfilled  any  of 
the  conditions  of  the  treaty  ;  that  they  had  acted 
as  if  they  formed  a  republic  independent  of  the 
sovereign ;  that  Elizabeth  continued  to  support 
them  in  their  disobedience ;  and  that  she  had 
already  broken  the  ancient  treaty,  by  admitting 
into  her  kingdom,  and  into  her  presence,  the 
deputies  of  the  Congregation,  without  the  pre- 
vious consent  of  their  sovereign  to  this  odious 
proceeding. 

It  is  more  than  probable  that  after  this  re- 
sponse, which  thwarted  EHzabeth  the  more  as 
her  conduct  had  caused  her  to  be  reproached  by 
the  King  of  Spain,*  that  if  Francis  had  lived  the 
war  would  have  been  renewed,  and  that,  pre- 

*  The  King  of  Spain,  Philip  II.,  had  formally  represented  to  Eliza- 
beth the  injury  she  had  done  to  her  reputation,  and  even  to  the  cause 
of  sovereigns,  by  sustaining  and  aiding  the  rebel  subjects  of  another 
prince.  Many  members  of  the  council  had  approved  of  these  obser- 
vations, and  opposed  Cecil,  whom  they  accused  of  inveigling  the  queen 
into  a  wrong  course.  Arundel,  Parry,  and  others  belonged  to  this 
party,  which  was  designated  by  the  name  of  Philippiana. 


120 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


dominated  over  as  he  was  by  Mary,  he  would 
have  led  to  Scotland  an  army  sufficient  to  sub- 
due the  rebels,  and  cause  Elizabeth  to  tremble 
anew  upon  her  throne.  Unfortunately  for  Mary, 
and  undoubtedly  also  for  Scotland,  which  now 
bears  the  yoke  of  England,  her  ancient  and  im- 
placable rival,  Francis,  a  weak  and  sickly  prince, 
died  on  the  6th  of  December,  1560,  of  an  im- 
posthume  in  the  ear.  It  is  said  that  this  mal- 
ady was  of  a  nature  to  cause  death  ;  but  it  is  very 
doubtful  whether  it  would  have  proved  mortal 
so  soon  when  no  grievous  symptom  had  yet  por- 
tended such  a  result.  The  report  was  circulated 
that  Ambrose  Pare,  his  surgeon,  had  poisoned 
the  wound,  in  order  to  save  the  Prince  of  Conde, 
the  avowed  leader  of  the  Calvinist  party.  This 
prince,  having  been  accused  of  high  treason,  had 
been  brought  before  a  select  committee  of  the 
French  Parliament,  and  condemned  to  death.  In 
vain  had  his  pardon  been  solicited  ;  in  vain  had 
Eleanor  de  Reye,  his  wife,  cast  herself  at  the 
king's  feet ;  he  had  resisted  the  prayers  and  tears 
of  the  weeping  princess.  "  Your  husband,"  said 
he  to  her,  "  wished  to  kill  me,  in  order  to  possess 
my  crown."  The  Guise  appeared  no  less  in- 
flexible. The  10th  of  December  was  the  day 
appointed  for  the  execution,  and  the  king  died 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


121 


four  days  before.  This  death,  which  occurred  so 
opportunely,  gave  rise  to  suspicions  which  have 
never  been  resolved.  Ambrose  Pare  was  a  Cal- 
vinist,  and  favored  Montmorency :  he  is  accused 
of  having  wished  to  serve  the  interests  of  his 
party ;  but  Protestant  writers  represent  Pare  as 
a  man  incapable  of  having  conceived  the  thought 
of  such  a  crime.  Certain  it  is,  that  no  investiga- 
tion was  held,  although  the  rumor  of  poison  was 
generally  circulated. 

Catharine  de'  Medici  had  little  love  for  Francis, 
all  her  affection  being  concentrated  upon  the 
Duke  of  Anjou,  her  younger  son;  she  hated 
Mary  especially,  because,  jealous  of  excess  of 
power,  she  had  no  influence  in  administrative 
affairs ;  whilst  Francis  lived,  her  situation  could 
not  change,  since  Francis  obeyed  Mary,  who,  in 
turn,  obeyed  her  uncles :  the  death  of  her  son 
caused  her,  then,  few  regrets  as  a  mother;  it 
served  her  ambition  as  a  queen;  for,  rid  of  her 
daughter-in-law,  whose  interest,  youth,  and  beau- 
ty she  envied,  reckoning  on  the  assistance  of  a 
powerful  party,  formed  by  all  discontented  per- 
sons, Calvin ists  or  Catholics,  she  would  reign  in 
the  name  of  the  ten-year-old  king.  She  at  first 
had  had  some  doubts,  but  she  was  fully  reassured 
by  Chancellor  de  L'Hopital.  "  The  estates," 
11 


122 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


said  he  to  her,  "  are  assembled,  and  the  parties 
present:  declared  enemies  of  each  other,  they 
will  become  reconciled  that  the  regency  may  be 
offered  to  you  —  the  Guise,  lest  the  power  pass 
to  the  house  of  Conde ;  the  Conde,  that  the 
Guise  may  not  obtain  it.  Then,  instead  of 
being  the  instrument  of  either  party,  you  will 
rule  over  them,  and  by  opposing  them  to  each 
other,  will  render  them  harmless." 

The  predictions  of  L'Hopital  were  fully  veri- 
fied, success  even  surpassing  Catharine's  hopes  ; 
for  the  moment  Francis  expired,  the  two  parties 
spontaneously  regarded  her  as  the  lawful  regent, 
applying  to  her  to  interest  her  in  their  preten- 
sions ;  the  Guise  urging  her  to  order  the  execu- 
tion, the  King  of  Navarre  asking  the  life  of  his 
brother,  so  that  she  was  in  fact  the  regent  with- 
out the  inters^ention  of  the  estates  ;  but  she  took 
care  not  to  sacrifice  Conde  to  the  resentment  of 
the  Guise.  In  her  system  of  balancing  the 
power  of  the  parties,  she  needed  a  man  whom 
she  might  oppose  to  the  Princes  of  Lorraine, 
and  the  feeble  King  of  Navarre  was  not  equal 
to  the  task.  The  Prince  of  Conde  was  set  at 
liberty ;  the  King  of  Navarre  was  appointed 
lieutenant  general  of  the  kingdom  ;  the  Guise 
preserved  their  credit  at  court  and  in  the  king- 
dom :  Catharine  ruled  over  all. 


LIPE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


123 


Catharine  had  great  accomplishments  and 
great  faults.  Beautiful,  of  tall  statuxei,  of  a  pre- 
possessing yet  majestic  exterior,.  .%J^vays  sur- 
rounded by  a  numerous  train  of  ladies  of  the 
best  families  in  the  kingdom,  amusing  them  and 
herself  by  fetes,  dances,  concerts,  hunting  or 
fishing  parties,  a  lover  and  protector  of  the  arts, 
affable  towards  all,  she  had  succeeded  —  notwith- 
standing the  estrangement  of  Henry  II.  from  her 
—  by  force  of  perseverance  and  address  in  render- 
ing herself  the  object  of  universal  homage ;  but 
it  is  supposed  that  all  these  amiable  qualities, 
which  rendered  her  so  attractive,  were  the  fruit 
of  profound  dissimulation,  rather  than  of  her 
natural  disposition.  The  only  person  with  whom 
she  could  or  would  not  dissemble  was  her  daugh- 
ter-in-law. Catharine  had  the  weakness  of  the 
Queen  of  England ;  she  desired  to  be  consid- 
ered beautiful.  She  suffered  much  from  contrast 
with  young  persons  of  remarkable  beauty ;  but  it 
is  pretended  that  she  made  them  serve  her  ends, 
by  captivating  by  their  means  lords  whom  she 
wished  to  entice.  Moreover,  Catharine  did  not 
fear  on  their  part  any  usurpation  of  power ;  where- 
as it  would  be  easy  for  a  young  queen  whom 
she  must  acknowledge  beautiful,  despite  her 
jealousy,  to  deprive  her,  by  her  charms,  enhanced 


124 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


by  regal  eclat,  and  the  enchantment  of  power, 
of  all  the  hearts  she  might  have  wished  to  attach 
to  herself.  In  reality,  during  her  husband's  life, 
Catharine  had  no  determined  system ;  during 
the  reign  of  her  eldest  son,  she  constantly  found 
the  Guise  in  the  career  she  would  pursue.  Thus 
she  appeared  only  inconsistent  and  heedless, 
always  allowing  herself  to  be  controlled  by 
events.  Sometimes  she  favored  the  reformers, 
receiving  and  reading  their  writings ;  sometimes, 
becoming  reconciled  to  the  Guise,  she  revealed 
the  projects  of  the  Calvinists  to  them.  When 
the  Guise  believed  that  they  had  no  need  of  her 
assistance,  they  scorned  her ;  then  she  returned 
to  the  Calvinists,  whose  doctrines,  moreover, 
frightened  her  little ;  for  after  the  assassination 
of  Guise,  when  the  princes'  party  became  all- 
powerful,  as  they  spoke  to  her  of  the  dangers 
which  religion  encountered,  she  answered  with 
an  inconceivable  and  scandalous  levity,  "  Well, 
gentlemen,  we  will  pray  to  God  in  French  !  " 

The  death  of  Francis  II.,  who  left  no  children, 
had  burst  the  links  which  united  France  to  Scot- 
land, and  with  it  vanished  the  principal  motive 
which  Cecil  had  alleged  to  justify  his  proceed- 
ings. Mary,  who  did  not  suspect  the  duplicity 
of  the  English  minister,  believed  that  she  might 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


125 


assume  without  molestation  the  government  of 
her  native  kingdom  ;  but  Cecil's  intention  was  to 
create  so  many  obstacles  that  she  could  not 
return  to  Scotland,  at  least  for  a  long  time.  If 
she  married  again,  which  was  very  likely,  as  she 
was  but  eighteen  years  of  age,  her  new  husband 
would  surely  revive  her  rights  to  the  throne  of 
England.  Admiral  Winter  continued  to  cruise 
in  the  Frith ;  and  Randolph,  Elizabeth's  agent, 
was  instructed  to  remind  the  lords  of  the  Congre- 
gation of  their  obligations  to  Elizabeth ;  to  ad- 
vise the  conclusion  of  a  perpetual  league  with 
England  during  the  absence  of  Queen  Mary ; 
and  to  suggest  a  form  of  association,  which 
should  have  for  its  chief  object  to  comp'  1  her  to 
marry  one  of  her  own  subjects. 

Elizabeth  had  no  reason  to  complain  of  the 
backwardness  of  the  Scots.  Chastelherault,  Ar- 
gyle,  Morton,  and  Glencairn  tendered  her  their 
services ;  the  disloyal  Maitland  even  promised 
to  betray  to  Cecil  the  plans  and  motions  of  Mary 
and  her  friends ;  and  Lord  James,  returning 
through  England  from  France,  —  whither  he  had 
been  to  assure  his  sister  of  his  fraternal  attach- 
ment, —  advised  Elizabeth  to  intercept  her  on  the 
sea  and  make  her  a  prisoner.  In  fact,  the  Scots, 
undoubtedly  becoming  better  as  they  became 
11* 


126 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


reformed,  had  at  this  time  singular  ideas  of 
honor  and  fidehty  to  their  engagements.  It 
might  be  said  that  they  had  a  very  correct  idea 
of  personal  interest,  which  at  all  times  sacrifices, 
■Qnscrupulously,  probity,  duty,  and  affection. 

Mary,  no  longer  receiving  at  Paris  the  respect 
and  attention  which  had  been  lavished  on  her 
hitherto,  and  which  became  more  necessary  since 
the  early  death  of  her  spouse,  had  departed  for 
Lorraine,  to  spend  the  winter  there.  In  her 
grieij  which  was  nowise  affected,  as  some  wri- 
ters h^ive  said,  whose  pens  are  always  dipped  in 
gall,  I>lary  sought  to  beguile  her  sorrow  by  ex- 
pressing it  in  Latin  verse.*  She  composed  ele- 
gies in  honor  of  her  husband.f  Elizabeth's 

*  It  ha^.  been  stated  in  writings  ttnworthy  of  confidence  —  indi- 
gested collections  of  false  traditions,  satires,  and  calumnies  —  that 
Mary  had  <  ulpable  intrigues  at  the  court  of  France.  They  are  base 
forgeries,  v-hich  Brantdme  himself,  that  cjTiical  slanderer  of  all  the 
women  of  h^s  time,  has  not  dared  to  affirm. 

t  Ah,  why  should  she  not  have  regretted  Francis  ?  If  not  through 
conjugal  love,  at  least  through  her  own  interest.  She  lost  a  husband 
who  had  for  her  an  absohite  deference,  and  which,  with  the  SAvay  she 
had  over  him,  she  would  have  constantly  maintained ;  she  lost  the 
most  beautiful  crown  of  Europe  at  an  age  when  vain  enjoyments  are 
most  felt ;  she  irrevocably  lost  the  means  of  causing  her  positive 
rights  to  the  English  crown  to  be  established  by  arms ;  she  lost  a 
country  where  she  had  been  educated,  the  society  of  enlightened 
men,  the  advantage  of  climate,  for  a  country  which  repelled  her,  and 
where,  under  a  sky  always  cold  and  cloudy,  the  men  were  like  half 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


127 


agents  followed  her  even  to  her  retreat,  to  de- 
mand the  ratification  of  the  treaty,  the  work  of 
Cecil.  To  the  Earl  of  Bedford,  Mewtas,  and 
Throckmorton  she  always  made  the  same  reply — 
that  since  the  death  of  Francis,  her  uncles  had 
refused  to  give  her  advice,  that  they  might  not 
be  said  to  interfere  with  the  concerns  of  Scot- 
land ;  that  on  a  subject  which  so  deeply  affected 
the  rights  of  her  crown  and  the  interests  of  the 
Scottish  people,  she  neither  desired  nor  could 
she  be  expected  to  answer  without  the  advice 
of  her  council ;  but  that,  on  her  return  to  her 
dominions,  she  would  consult  the  estates,  and  do 
whatever  she  should  judge  proper.* 

Mary's  refusal  irritated  Elizabeth,  and  con- 
firmed her  in  the  suspicions  which  had  been 
previously  suggested  by  Cecil  and  his  friends ; 
and  when  M.  D'Oyselles  requested  permission 
for  Mary  to  pass  through  England  to  Scotland, 

savages.  These  were,  it  seems,  sufficient  reasons  for  Mary  to  have 
no  need  of  pretence  when  she  showed  grief  and  tears. 

*  Of  Mary's  conduct  after  her  husband's  death,  we  have  the  nota- 
ble testimony  of  Throckmorton,  the  English  ambassador  in  Paris : 
*'  Since  the  death  of  the  king,  the  Queen  of  Scotland  carries  herself 
so  honorably,  wisely,  and  discreetly,  that  methinks  it  were  to  be 
wished  by  all  wise  men  and  her  majesty's  good  subjects,  that  the  one 
of  these  two  queens  of  the  Isle  of  Britain  were  transformed  into  the 
shape  of  a  man,  to  make  so  happy  a  marriage,  that  there  might 
thereby  be  a  unity  of  the  whole  isle." 


128 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


(1561,)  she  refused  him  in  so  vehement  a  tone, 
and  with  such  reproachful  expressions,  as  to  be- 
tray the  exacerbation  of  her  mind.  Throckmor- 
ton soon  afterwards  waited  on  the  Scottish  queen 
to  justify  the  conduct  of  his  sovereign.  When 
Mary  saw  him,  she  ordered  her  attendants  to  re- 
tire;  "that,"  said  she,  "if,  like  the  Queen  of 
England,  I  cannot  command  my  temper,  I  may 
at  least  have  fewer  spectators  of  my  weakness;" 
and  when  Throckmorton  had  declared  the  object 
of  his  visit,  she  calmly  replied,  "  Your  mistress 
reproaches  me  with  my  youth  —  it  is  a  defect 
which  time  will  cure  —  but  she  might  reproach 
me  with  my  folly,  if,  young  as  I  am,  without 
husband  or  council,  I  should  take  on  myself  to 
ratify  the  treaty.  When  I  have  consulted  the 
estates  of  my  realm,  I  will  return  a  definite  an- 
swer. I  only  repent  of  having  had  the  weakness 
to  ask  of  your  sovereign  a  favor  which  I  did  not 
need.  I  came  to  France  in  defiance  of  Edward 
VI. ;  I  will  return  to  Scotland  in  defiance  of  his 
sister.  I  want  nothing  of  her  but  her  friendship ; 
if  she  chooses,  she  may  have  me  a  loving  kins- 
woman and  a  useful  rieighbor  ;  for  it  is  not  my 
intention  to  intrigue  with  the  discontented  in  her 
kingdom,  as  she  intrigues  with  the  discontented 
in  mine." 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


129 


K  this  answer  had  been  faithfully  transmitted 
to  EUzabeth,  she  would  perhaps  have  entered 
into  herself,  and  —  blushing  at  the  more  than 
equivocal  conduct  she  had  hitherto  exhibited  — 
have  made  a  treaty  with  Mary,  which,  dictated 
in  good  faith,  would  have  had  some  chance  of 
continuance  ;  but  the  officious  and  base  Trock- 
morton  transmitted  to  Elizabeth  the  answer  of 
the  Queen  of  Scotland  so  altered  and  disguised 
as  only  to  determine  her  to  adopt  what  Lord 
James,  Morton,  and  Maitland  had  recommended : 
to  seize  her  good  sister  on  the  route,  and  conduct 
her  to  England.  A  fleet  was  soon  collected  in 
the  waters  of  the  Thames,  and  ordered  to  cruise 
in  the  Channel,  under  pretext  of  clearing  it  from 
pirates.  The  Queen  of  Scotland  was  informed 
of  it,  and  demanded  an  explanation.  Elizabeth 
herself  wrote  to  her,  that  at  the  request  of  the 
King  of  Spain  she  had  sent  a  few  barks  to  sea 
to  cruise  after  certain  Scottish  pirates.  Mary 
was  not  diverted  from  her  purpose  ;  but  confid- 
ing in  Providence,  she  fearlessly,  but  not  without 
regret,  made  preparations  for  her  departure. 

O,  why  was  not  Catharine  touched  by  the 
tears  which  her  unjust  rigor  caused  to  be  shed  ? 
All  those  who  saw  Mary,  all  those  who  could 
hear  her  plaints,  were  afflicted  with  her,  and 


130 


LIFE   OF   MARV  STUART. 


blamed  Catharine.  "What  had  she  then  to  fear 
from  this  young  queen,  who,  content  to  live  in  a 
country  she  loved,  appeared  entirely  averse  to 
ambition  for  power  ?  And  it  was  true  that 
Mary  had  not  loved  the  throne  upon  which  she 
had  been  seated,  because,  from  the  height  of  this 
throne,  she  could  dictate  her  pleasure  over  a  vast 
empire  ;  she  loved  it  rather  through  levity,  be- 
cause, young^  amiable,  and  beautiful,  she  was,  as 
it  were,  upon  a  pedestal,  from  which  she  re- 
ceived the  incense  which  all  the  French  lords 
burned  before  her.  If  through  flattery  she  ob- 
tained from  the  king  all  that  she  asked,  it  was 
to  please  her  uncles,  whom  she  loved  and  re- 
spected, particularly  the  Cardinal  "of  Lorraine, 
who  joined  to  the  talents  of  a  statesman  all  the 
grace  of  a  delicate  and  witty  courtier,  besides 
the  charm  of  a  conversation  always  full  of 
happy  sallies.  She  had  not  known  her  father ; 
she  could  only  preserve  of  her  mother  a  vague 
and  confused  remembrance,  for  at  the  age  of 
six  years  she  had  been  separated  from  her,  and 
since  that  time  had  not  seen  her ;  and  moreover 
her  tender  and  sensible  heart  had  need  of  love. 
Her  uncles  had  supplied  the  place  of  parents, 
whom  she  had  not :  she  cherished  them,  respected 
them,  had  unlimited  confidence  in  them;  and 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


131 


when  they  besought  her  to  sustain,  through  her 
ascendency,  the  advice  which  they  gave  the  king, 
Mary  did  it  joyfully,  because  she  firmly  believed 
that  her  uncles  wished  only  what  was  just. 

But  Catharine  saw  only  in  the  young  queen 
an  odious  rival,  who  would  be  a  useful  and  pow- 
erful auxiliary  for  the  Guise,  by  drawing  into 
their  party  this  swarm  of  lords  and  knights  who 
surrounded  her,  in  order  that,  fashioned  by  expe- 
rience to  the  manoeuvres  of  the  court,  or  learning 
with  age  to  love  power  for  its  own  gratifications, 
she  might  place  herself  at  the  head  of  this  party 
by  the  influence  she  would  exercise  over  the  new 
sovereign.  Charles  IX.,  notwithstanding  what 
has  been  said  by  Protestant  writers,  and  their 
worthy  competitors  the  pretended  philosophers 
of  the  nineteenth  century,  had  been  endowed  by 
Heaven  with  good  qualities  ;  a  bad  education 
had  corrupted  them,  and  his  defects  were  in- 
creased. Thus  his  passion  bci^ame  real  fury  at 
the  least  contradiction ;  should  his  brother's 
widow  gain  the  ascendency  over  him,  as  would 
have  probably  happened,  Catharine  would  have 
been  forever  excluded  from  power.  When  Ma- 
ry's departure  had  been  mentioned  for  the  first 
time,  Charles  had  strenuously  opposed  it:  he 
was  then  only  twelve  years  of  age ;  yet  he  de- 


132 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


manded  her  as  a  wife  from  his  mother.  "When 
they  represented  to  him  that  there  existed  be- 
tween her  and  himself  bonds  of  affinity  which 
rendered  their  marriage  impossible,  he  replied, 
"  Well,  I  will  go  to  Rome,  cast  myself  at  the 
pope's  feet,  and  the  pope  will  give  me  Mary." 

Assuredly  the  Queen  of  Scotland  had  not 
sought  to  create  this  penchant ;  but  Catharine 
appeared  to  believe  it,  that  she  might  reproach 
her,  and  the  more  Charles  persisted  in  wishing 
to  hinder  this  departure  which  afflicted  him,  the 
more  Catharine  sought  to  hasten  it,  and  mean- 
while destroy  this  growing  passion  of  her  son. 
We  will  say  nothing  of  the  unworthy  distrac- 
tions which  she  is  accused  of  having  furnished 
the  young  prince,  so  as  to  occupy  his  mind  other- 
wise; we  will  s:)eak*only  of  the  calumnies  con- 
cerning Mary  which  she  circulated  around  her 
son,  in  order  that,  this  envenomed  discourse  would 
be  borne  from  all  parts  to  the  ears  of  the  king,  as 
repeated  by  so'  many  echoes.  It  was  by  these 
means  that  she  finally  obtained  his  consent  to  her 
departure. 

At  length  came  the  doleful  day  when  Mary, 
leaving  France  forever,  entered  upon  a  career 
of  misfortune.  At  the  commencement  of  the 
month  of  August,  Mary  Stuart,  in  the  bloom  of 


ADIEU,   FRANCE,   ADIEU  t 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


135 


youth,  beautiful,  and  rich  in  knowledge,  —  Mary, 
with  a  cultivated  mind  and  a  generous  heart,  — 
left  the  Louvre,  her  eyes  moist  with  tears,  and 
departed  for  Calais,  accompanied  by  her  uncles 
and  many  French  and  Scottish  lords.  Two 
galleys  and  four  transports  awaited  her  at  Calais, 
to  receive  herself,  suite,  and  baggage.  She  as- 
cended the  deck  of  the  royal  galley,  (15th  of 
August,  1561 ;)  and  as  long  as  the  coast  remained 
in  sight,  her  eyes  were  constantly  directed  to- 
wards the  land  in  which  she  had  lived  from  her 
childhood,  and  had  reigned  as  queen.  In  propor- 
tion as  the  downs  of  the  coast  seemed  to  sink  be- 
fore her  eyes,  a  dolorous  sensation  descended  from 
her  forehead,  and  spread  over  all  her  features  as 
a  veil  of  mourning.  It  has  been  said,  that  by 
degrees  the  last  ray  of  hope  was  extinguished. 
"  Adieu,  France,  adieu !  "  exclaimed  she,  raising 
her  hands  to  heaven,  as  if  to  offer  Him  the  sacri- 
fice of  all  her  affections. 

The  night  was  calm  and  still,  but  sleep  had 
deserted  her  eyelids,  for  repose  was  not  in  her 
heart.  The  next  day  Mary  was  on  deck  before 
sunrise,  and  she  still  sought  with  her  eyes  this 
cherished  land,  this  land  of  her  adoption,  which 
she  yet  seemed  to  discern  through  the  clouds 
which  overhung  the  waters.    But  a  thick  fog  soon 


136 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


arising  enveloped  her  galley  in  gloom.  "  O,  it 
is  all  over,"  exclaimed  she  again.  "  France ! 
France !  I  shall  never  see  you  more."  * 

The  mist  which  deprived  the  Queen  of  Scot- 
land of  the  sight  of  land,  which  she  coasted  near 
enough  in  order  to  shun  a  rencontre  with  the 
small  English  harks  despatched  by  Elizabeth  to 
clear  the  seas  from  pu'ates,  favored  the  progress 
of  the  galleys,  which  passed  near  the  English 

*  Tradition  informs  us  that  it  was  then  that  Mary  composed  the 
following  song :  — 

**  Adieu,  plaisant  pays  de  France, 
0  ma  patrie 
La  plus  cherie, 
Qui  as  nourri  ma  jeune  enfiance  I 

Adieu,  France !  Adieu,  mes  beaux  jours  1 

La  nef  qui  dejoint  mes  amours 

N'a  ici  de  moi  que  la  moiti6 ; 

Une  parte  te  reste ;  elle  est  tienne : 

Je  la  fie  a  ton  amiti6. 

Pour  que  de  I'autre  il  te  souvienne  I " 

Thou  pleasant  land  of  France,  farewell  1 

Cherished  with  love 

All  lands  above, 
Nurse  of  my  infancy,  farewell  1 

Dear  France,  and  happier  days,  adieu  I 
The  sail  that  wafts  me  far  from  you, 
Bears  but  my  half  away ;  the  rest 
Thine  own,  and  thine  alone  shall  be: 
This  of  its  faith  the  pledge  and  test  — 
To  love  and  to  remember  thee. 


I 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


187 


squadron  without  being  perceived.  Of  the  four 
transports,  one  only  escaped  ;  the  three  others 
were  taken  by  the  English  admiral,  (19th  of 
August,)  but  the  galleys  slipped  through  his  grasp. 
The  minister  Cecil,  who  was  greatly  discon- 
certed at  an  occurrence  which  had  only  placed 
in  his  power  the  queen's  mules  instead  of  the 
queen  herself,  wrote  to  Throckmorton  not  to  fail 
to  publish  at  Paris  that  the  admiral,  who  was 
cruising  in  the  Channel  to  cleanse  it  from  pirates, 
had  met  the  queen's  galleys,  and  offered  them  the 
accustomed  salute — which  was  entirely  false; 
in  reality,  the  admiral,  in  addition  to  what  Cecil 
had  stated,  had  stopped  the  vessels,  but  only  to 
make  a  thorough  examination  of  them;  they 
even  detained  one  which  appeared  suspicious  — 
that  one  on  which  was  found  the  Earl  of  Egling- 
ton,  one  of  the  queen's  officers. 

Mary  approached  her  own  land  with  mingled 
emotions  of  hope  and  apprehension.  How  would 
she  be  received  at  Edinburgh  ?  Would  she  find 
there  faithful  friends,  or  would  her  native  soil 
refuse  to  receive  its  sovereign  ?  To  disappoint 
the  machinations  of  her  enemies,  she  had  ar- 
rived a  fortnight  before  the  appointed  time, 
so  that  no  preparation  had  been  made  for  her 
reception.  But  scarcely  had  the  news  of  her 
12* 


138 


LIFE  OP  MARY  STUART. 


arrival  been  received  at  the  capital,  than  the  whole 
population  of  Edinburgh  flocked  to  her — peers, 
nobles,  citizens,  mechanics,  the  clergy,  children, 
old  men,  every  one ;  and  as  she  appeared,  unan- 
imous acclamations  made  the  air  resound  with 
the  name  of  Mary.  Her  fears  and  suspicions 
were  dispelled,  to  give  place  to  the  most  lively 
joy.  It  is  agreeable  to  a  sovereign  to  be  loved ; 
and  never  did  any  king  on  earth  receive  more 
marks  of  love  than  the  Scottish  people  gave  on 
this  memorable  day  to  their  amiable  sovereign. 
Ah,  may  she  enjoy  for  a  long  time  the  happiness 
which  she  experiences.  May  it  please  Heaven 
that  this  radiant  day  be  succeeded  by  one  as 
radiant. 


CHAPTER  V. 

KEIGN  OF  MARY.  —  SHE  MARRIES  DARNLEY. 

Mary,  upon  ascending  the  throne,  was  aware 
that  she  could  hope  for  but  little  assistance  from 
France,  distracted  as  it  was  by  civil  war.  She 
therefore  determined,  by  the  advice  of  her  uncles, 
to  subdue  by  conciliation,  if  possible,  the  hostility 
of  her  former  opponents.  Her  principal  ministers 
were  Lord  James  Stuart,  although  she  was  not 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


139 


ignorant  that  he  had  promised  Elizabeth  to  dis- 
close to  her  all  the  state  secrets,  and  the  apostate 
•  Maitland,  who  had  been  her  private  secretary, 
and  had  betrayed  her:  she  counted  on  gaining 
the  latter  through  generosity;  and  it  must  be 
acknowledged  that,  if  Lord  James  remained 
treacherous,  as  his  correspondence  with  Robert 
Dudley  proves,.  Maitland,  in  his  correspondence 
with  Cecil,  although  he  appears  very  desirous  of 
obtaining  the  favor  of  Elizabeth,  is  not  the  less 
zealous  protector  of  his  sovereign,  sustaining  her 
interests  with  as  much  zeal  as  ability.  In  fact, 
Lord  James  and  Maitland  possessed  the  com- 
plete confidence  of  the  Congregationalists,  and 
it  was  evident  that  if  Mary  could  attach  them  to 
her  interests,  she  would  have  much  less  to  fear 
from  the  Congregation.  It  appeared,  also,  that 
Mary,  who  speedily  forgot  an  injury,  sincerely 
desired  to  live  on  good  terms  with  Elizabeth. 
Her  letters  were  frank ;  but  Elizabeth  always 
answered  reservedly,  because  she  could  regard 
Mary  only  as  a  rival,  always  ready  at  the  least 
accident  to  dispute  her  right  to  the  crown. 
Wherefore  she  continued  to  insist  that  Mary 
should  ratify  the  treaty  of  Leith,  particularly  that 
article  which  not  only  recognized  the  right  of 
EHzabeth,  but  also  precluded  the  Scottish  queen 


140 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


from  assuming  the  arms  or  title  of  England.  To 
the  first  of  these  points  Mary  offered  no  objec- 
tion; but  she  contended  that  to  assent  to  the' 
second  would  be  a  virtual  renunciation  of  her 
birthright,  and  an  allowance  of  the  claim  made 
to  the  succession  by  the  house  of  Suffolk.  Cecil 
suggested  that  Mary,  on  her  part,  should  ac- 
knowledge the  right  to  the  crown  of  England  to 
be  vested  in  Elizabeth  and  the  lawful  heirs  of 
her  body ;  and  that  Elizabeth  should  declare,  on 
the  other,  that  failing  her  own  issue,  the  succes- 
sion belonged  of  right  to  the  Queen  of  Scotland. 
With  this  arrangement  the  latter  was  satisfied ; 
but  the  consent  of  Elizabeth  could  not  be  ob- 
tained :  Cecil  proposed  a  conference  between  the 
two  queens  in  a  northern  county.  Mary  assented 
to  the  proposal ;  but  Elizabeth,  after  having  ap- 
peared to  desire  this  interview,  would  not  consent 
to  it.  Cecil  was  obliged  to  allege  pretext  upon  pre- 
text in  excuse  of  his  sovereign  —  roads  rendered 
impassable  by  the  rains,  the  royal  houses  between 
London  and  York  out  of  repair,  and  the  want 
of  time  to  make  the  necessary  provision  of  wine, 
fowl,  and  poultry.*    Elizabeth's  true  reason  Cecil 

*  It  was  on  the  20th  of  June  that  Cecil  gave  this  pitiable  excuse, 
and  the  conference  was  not  to  have  taken  place  until  the  month  of 
August. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


141 


could  not  declare ;  it  was  the  Queen  of  Eng- 
land's feminine  jealousy,  which  made  her  dread 
to  appear  less  young,  less  amiable,  and  less  beau- 
tiful than  the  Queen  of  Scotland;  and  Eliza- 
beth probably  foresaw  that,  appearing  with  all 
her  charms  in  the  northern  counties,  Mary  would 
exercise  a  very  great  influence  over  all  minds ; 
she  was  aware  that  in  that  section  Mary's  rights 
were  generally  judged  better  than  her  own. 

Meanwhile  Mary  was  far  from  being  as  happy 
as  the  enthusiastic  reception  she  had  met  with 
on  her  arrival  seemed  to  declare.*  She  had  been 
brought  up  in  the  Catholic  religion,  and  had  come 
fully  decided  to  persevere  in  its  doctrines,  and 
regularly  observe  the  precepts  of  the  church.  The 
day  after  her  arrival  in  Edinburgh,  she  ordered 
that  the  ma^s  be  offered  up  in  her  chapel  by  a 
Catholic  priest ;  and  this  same  people,  who  had 
proclaimed  her  sovereign  with  shouts  of  frantic 

*  On  landing,  she  had  at  first  repaired  to  Holyrood  Palace,  from 
whence  herself  and  suite  were  conducted  to  Edinburgh  on  miserable 
country  hackneys,  covered  with  dilapidated  harness ;  and  when,  in- 
voluntarily reverting  to  the  past,  she  inwardly  compared  the  misera- 
ble animals  with  the  superb  horses  she  had  in  France,  and  the  rude 
and  blackened  walls  of  Holyrood  with  the  rich  apartments  of  the 
Louvre,  she  refrained  with  difficulty  from  testifying  her  regret.  The 
affection  which  the  people  exhibited  for  her  consoled  her  for  every 
thing ;  but,  unhappily,  it  did  not  last. 


142 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


joy,  not  wishing  that  she  should  enjoy  the  liberty 
of  conscience  they  themselves  claimed,  rushed 
to  the  palace,  and  would  have  massacred  the 
priest,  without  the  intervention  of  Lord  James 
Stuart. 

Meanwhile  Mary,  as  is  acknowledged  even  by 
her  enemies,  displayed  in  the  commencement  of 
her  reign  prudence  seemingly  incompatible  with 
her  youth,  (she  was  only  in  her  nineteenth  year.) 
It  is  true  that  nature  had  lavished  upon  her 
all  those  exterior  gifts  which  please,  captivate,  or 
inspire  men  with  awe ;  she  was  of  a  beautiful 
figure,  and  her  graceful  motion  did  not  detract 
from  her  noble  and  majestic  carriage  ;  her  fea- 
tures expressed  the  benevolence  of  her  character, 
and  her  physiognomy  was  bewitching.  By  the 
ease  of  her  manners,  and  her  affability,  she  cap- 
tivated hearts ;  but  to  sustain  herself  amidst  all 
the  rival  or  hostile  parties  which  her  sudden 
arrival  had  disconcerted,  she  had  often  to  act 
against  her  will,  and  more  than  once  to  overcome 
conscientious  scruples,  which  reproached  her  with 
making  concessions  to  the  dissenters,  without 
which  she  would  not  have  been  allowed  to  pos- 
sess the  throne  a  single  day.  She  acted  in  every 
thing  that  concerned  religious  matters  by  the 
advice  of  Maitland,  and  her  brother,  whom  she 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


143 


had  at  first  created  prior  of  St.  Andrew's,  and 
afterwards  Earl  of  Marr. 

Despite  Mary's  efforts  to  maintain  internal 
tranquillity,  despite  her  condescension  to  those 
who  each  day  demanded  new  sacrifices,  despite 
even  the  conciliatory  measures  taken  by  Mait- 
land  to  gain  the  lords  of  the  Congregation  to  the 
queen's  government,  there  existed  an  intracta- 
ble class  of  men,  whom  nothing  could  reclaim; 
these  were  the  reformed  preachers,  men  of  great 
speeches,  who  found  every  thing  defective  in  the 
church  of  Rome,  announced  themselves  as  apos- 
tles of  a  better  religion,  — ■  the  pure  doctrine  of  the 
gospelj  —  and  who,  to  show  the  sweetness  of 
their  evangelic  virtues,  delivered  themselves  up 
to  all  the  excesses  of  intolerance,  which  fright- 
ened not  even  the  idea  of  crime.  It  is  known 
that  the  tolerance  of  these  great  reformers  is  only 
for  the  people,  who  are  always  right  when  they 
arise  against  obdurate  men  who  reject  their 
doctrines;  they  never  ascended  the  pulpit  with- 
out declaiming  against  the  queen  with  such  vio- 
lence that  it  was  only  surprising  that,  after  their 
sermons,  a  hundred  arms,  armed  with  poniards, 
did  not  snatch  the  life  of  this  impious  woman, 
the  agent  of  Satan,  the  enemy  of  true  Christianity  ; 
for  thus  they  styled  Mary. 


144 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


The  queen  sent  for  John  Knox,  the  virulent 
patriarch  of  reform.  "John  Knox,"  said  she  to 
him,  with  angelic  sweetness,  "  why  do  you  pur- 
sue me  so  virulently  ?  What  have  I  done  that 
you  should  seek  to  ahenate  the  hearts  of  my 
subjects  from  me  ?  Does  your  religion  order  you 
to  be  unmerciful  to  those  who  have,  in  your 
opinion,  the  misfortune  not  to  agree  in  your  doc- 
trines ?  Ah,  I  myself  have  this  misfortune  ;  but 
does  that  make  me  your  enemy  ?  Have  I  en- 
deavored to  use  against  you  the  royal  authority  ? 
Go  ;  you  will  lose  nothing  in  opinion  by  show- 
ing yourself  more  moderate  in  what  you  call  the 
accomplishment  of  your  duty."  Knox  stam- 
mered some  excuse,  made  vague  promises,  and 
did  not  change.  He  considered  it  a  crime  in  the 
queen  not  to  have  ratified  the  religious  system 
adopted  by  Parliament  in  1560,  and  the  confisca- 
tion of  the  goods  of  the  clergy,  a  stringent  acces- 
sory of  this  system.  The  Earl  of  Marr,  who 
appeared  at  that  time  to  have  for  his  sister  as 
much  affection  as  he  had  previously  shown  aver- 
sion and  hatred,  sustained  her  with  all  his  influ- 
ence against  the  venomous  manoeuvres  of  Knox 
and  his  friends,  which  for  a  long  time  rendered 
Knox  and  the  earl  almost  enemies.  The  queen, 
grateful  for  what  her  brother  did  for  her,  granted 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART.  145 

him  her  entire  friendship,  and  loaded  him,  mean- 
while, with  favors.  To  have  named  him  the 
Earl  of  Marr  was  not  sufficient;  she  created 
him  Earl  of  Murray,  whose  great  wealth  had 
been  annexed  to  the  crown,  and  whose  party  she 
wished  to  detach  in  her  brother's  favor.  But 
this  grant  met  with  sharp  opposition  in  the  Earl 
of  Huntley,  the  most  powerful  lord  of  Northern 
Scotland. 

This  earl  seized  the  greater  part  of  Murray's 
domains ;  he  was  of  the  small  number  of  peers 
who  had  rejected  the  doctrines  of  reform,  and  it 
seemed  that  this  conformity  of  religious  opinions 
should  have  established  a  close  alliance  between 
the  queen  and  himself ;  it  was  not  so.  It  is 
contended  that  Huntley  offered  the  queen  to 
join  her,  on  her  arrival,  with  twenty  thousand 
men,  if  she  desired  to  reestablish  the  Catholic 
religion,  and  that  the  queen  refused  this  power- 
ful assistance  because  she  did  not  wish  to  involve 
Scotland  in  civil  war.  But  it  is  very  doubtful 
whether  this  proposition  was  made,  for  it  is  very 
probable  that  the  Guise  would  have  urgently 
counselled  their  niece  to  accept  it.  What  seems 
more  likely  is,  that  Huntley  openly  aspired  to 
conquer  his  independence,  and  that  the  queen 
sought  to  diminish  a  power,  which,  at  first 
13 


146 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


rivalling,  would  have,  perhaps,  finally  become 
dominant. 

A  judicial  penalty  inflicted  by  Sir  John  Gor- 
don, son  of  the  earl,  for  some  abuses  of  power, 
became  for  Huntley,  if  not  a  legitimate  cause 
for  resistance  and  revolt,  at  least  a  plausible  pre- 
text ;  for  nothing  was  easier  than  to  contend  that 
Sir  John  Gordon  had  transcended  his  authority. 
The  queen,  not  wishing  to  allow  the  earl  time  to 
make  much  preparation,  advanced  at  the  head 
of  a  small  body  of  troops,  and  took  the  northern 
route,  sometimes  passing  the  night  under  a  tent, 
sometimes  accepting  hospitality  in  the  besmoked 
manor  of  some  noble  countryman.  As  she  was 
naturally  gay,  and  above  all  very  affable,  she 
often  mingled  with  her  warriors,  laughed  with 
them  at  disappointments  in  travelling,  and  filled 
them  with  a  devotedness  which  rendered  them 
invincible.  The  earl  was  startled  by  the  queen's 
apparition,  and  he  repaired  to  her,  protesting  his 
submission ;  but  when  Mary's  little  army  ap- 
peared before  Inverness,  the  governor  refused  her 
entrance,  although  Inverness  was  a  royal  castle. 
The  fortress  was  immediately  invested,  and  the 
garrison  forced  to  surrender;  the  governor,  hav- 
ing been  tried  by  a  court  martial,  was  condemned 
to  death  as  a  traitor  and  executed.    In  the  mean 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


147 


time  Sir  John  Gordon,  who  had  escaped  from 
prison,  armed  all  his  father's  vassals,  and  ad- 
vanced towards  Aberdeen,  where  the  queen  was. 
Huntley  joined  his  son. 

The  new  Earl  of  Murray  was  brave,  and  above 
all  an  excellent  general.  He  located  his  little 
band  in  an  advantageous  position,  and  placed  in 
front  the  northern  clans,  composed  of  men  whom 
he  had  called  upon,  and  who  had  responded  to 
the  appeal,  but  of  whose  courage  he  was  doubt- 
ful. What  he  had  foreseen  occurred :  the  clans 
opposed  only  a  feeble  resistance  to  Gordon's 
soldiers,  and  retreated  towards  Murray's  select 
battalion.  Gordon's  troops  pursued  them,  throw- 
ing away  their  lances  and  drawing  their  swords ; 
and  —  as  in  all  pursuits  —  their  ranks  became 
disordered.  Being  attacked  at  this  moment  by 
Murray,  Gordon's  troops  in  vain  attempted  to 
rally ;  pressed  more  and  more,  they  fell  back. 
The  clans  which  had  fled  at  first,  on  seeing  for- 
tune change,  returned  to  the  charge,  and  finished 
by  routing  their  enemies,  (1562.)  Huntley,  who 
was  very  fat  and  heavily  armed,  fell  from  his 
horse,  and  was  crushed  to  death  by  the  retreating 
army ;  according  to  some  versions,  he  died  of 
despair.  His  son  was  made  prisoner  and  be- 
headed ;  a  decree  branded  the  earl's  memory ; 


148 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


Murray  was  placed  in  possession  of  the  new 
domains,  and  the  queen  returned  to  Edinburgh, 
leaving  all  the  northern  barons  filled  with  terror 
by  the  activity  of  her  measures,  and  the  success 
of  her  arms. 

Very  soon  after,  the  politic  Maitland  departed 
for  London,  ostensibly  to  recommend  to  Eliza- 
beth a  peace  between  her  and  Charles  IX.,  in 
reality  to  watch  the  proceedings  of  the  English 
Parliament.  The  House  of  Commons  voted  an 
address  to  Elizabeth,  requesting  her  to  marry ; 
there  was  likewise  a  similar  proceeding  spoken 
of  in  Scotland  with  respect  to  Mary ;  for  the 
Scots,  as  well  as  the  English,  desired  that  the 
queen  should  have  a  direct  successor,  and  that 
each  of  them  should  name  one  in  case  of  their 
not  having  children.  They  reminded  Elizabeth 
of  the  attempt  of  foreign  powers  to  set  up  a 
competitor  against  herself,  and  of  the  danger  to 
the  reformed  faith,  if  a  Catholic  should  succeed. 
These  remarks  were  evidently  pointed  at  Mary 
Stuart ;  but  the  interests  of  that  princess  were 
protected,  if  not  by  justice,  at  least  by  the  ca- 
price of  Elizabeth,  who  resented  the  interference 
of  the  Commons  in  a  concern  which  she  deemed 
exclusively  her  own.  She  received  the  petition 
reluctantly,  and  when  reminded  of  an  answer, 


LIFE  OP  MARY  STUART. 


149 


she  replied  sharply  and  in  an  unsatisfactory- 
manner. 

Mary  received  no  address,  but  she  knew  that 
the  Scots  were  desirous  that  she  should  marry 
again  ;  and  she  herself  was  not  averse.  On  the 
one  hand  her  uncles  proposed  to  her  the  King 
of  Navarre ;  on  the  other  was  presented  the 
Archduke  of  Austria.  The  King  of  Navarre, 
Antoine  de  Bourbon,  was  the  head  of  the  Cal- 
vinist  party  ;  the  Guise  offered  him  the  throne 
of  Scotland,  with  that  of  England  in  perspec- 
tive, and  Antoine  wavered.  But  he  was  married 
to  Jane  D' Albert,  who  had  borne  him  children, 
which  was  a  great  obstacle  to  another  marriage. 
The  legate,  it  is  true,  had  intimated  that  the 
marriage  might  be  easily  broken,  as  Jane  was 
heretical :  Antoine  recoiled  before  the  obstacles ; 
not  so  Charles  of  Austria. 

This  prince,  son  of  the  Emperor  Ferdinand, 
had  formerly  demanded  the  hand  of  Elizabeth, 
who,  after  having  hesitated  for  a  long  time,  ac- 
cording to  custom,  concluded  by  alleging  consci- 
entious scruples,  which  would  not  permit  her  to 
tolerate  in  her  palace  the  celebration  of  idola- 
trous worship.*    And  this  more  than  strange 

*  The  emperor  had  demanded  liberty  for  his  son  to  have  a  Cath- 
olic chapel. 

13* 


150 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


response  disgusted  the  Austrian  prince,  who 
thought  of  the  Queen  of  Scotland  on  learning 
the  death  of  Francis  II.  The  Cardinal  of  Lor- 
raine, to  whom  he  applied,  favored  this  demand, 
the  success  of  which  would  have  probably  caused 
a  triple  or  even  a  quadruple  alliance  between 
France,  Austria,  Scotland,  and  Spain.  But 
Mary,  who,  though  she  reckoned  little  on  the 
friendship  of  Elizabeth,  wished,  however,  to  be 
on  good  terms  with  her,  believed  it  proper  to 
communicate  to  her  the  proposal  of  the  arch- 
duke. Elizabeth's  jealousy  was  reawakened 
more  brisk  than  ever.  Cecil  devised  two  plans, 
which  were  immediately  earned  into  effect.  By 
the  first,  Elizabeth,  who  believed  herself  the 
most  beautiful  woman  on  earth,  was  brought 
forward  as  a  rival  to  Mary  :  nor  did  her  vanity 
entertain  a  doubt  that  the  archduke  would  prefer 
her  charms  and  her  crown  to  those  of  her  Scot- 
tish sister.  But  was  she,  the  haughty  Elizabeth, 
to  make  the  proposal  ?  Cecil,  who  every  where 
had  spies  in  his  pay,  treated  with  the  Duke  of 
Wirtemberg ;  and  that  prince,  as  of  himself,  so- 
licited the  emperor  to  renew  the  treaty  between 
his  son  and  the  English  queen.  But  Ferdinand 
answered  coldly  that  the  Queen  of  England  had 
already  made  him  the  dupe  of  her  selfish  and 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


151 


insincere  policy ;  and  that  he  would  not  expose 
himself  to  similar  treatment  a  second  time. 

The  other  plan  was  to  induce  Mary,  by  threats 
and  promises,  to  refuse  the  archduke.  Cecil  sent 
Randolph  to  Scotland,  with  instructions  to  read 
to  her  a  long  lecture  on  the  choice  of  a  husband. 
Elizabeth,  he  told  her,  preferred  a  single  life; 
but  was  neither  surprised  nor  displeased  that  her 
younger  sister  should  entertain  thoughts  of 
marriage.  But  she  should  bear  in  mind,  that 
her  destined  husband  should  have  three  recom- 
mendations :  he  should  be  one  whom  she  could 
love ;  one  whom  her  subjects  could  approve ; 
and  one  who  was  likely  to  preserve  and  augment 
the  friendship  existing  between  the  two  crowns. 
Was  Charles  of  Austria  such  a  person  ?  Would 
he  have  been  proposed  by  the  Cardinal  of  Lor- 
raine, if  he  had  not  promised  to  be  the  enemy 
of  England  ?  The  Queen  of  Scotland  should 
recollect  that  the  success  of  her  claim  to  the  suc- 
cession depended  on  the  choice  of  her  husband. 

"  Whom  shall  I  take,  then,  for  a  husband,  to 
please  Elizabeth  ?  "  exclaimed  the  queen,  whom 
the  ambiguity  of  Randolph's  discourse  had  a 
little  ruffled.  The  envoy  replied  with  a  mys- 
terious air  that  Elizabeth  wished  her  to  marry 
an  English  nobleman  ;  he  declined  explaining 


152 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


himself  further  to  Mary,  but  the  great  secret 
was  first  revealed  to  the  Earl  of  Mm-ray.  Mait- 
land  was  also  informed  of  it,  and  testified  much 
surprise  when  he  learned  that  the  Engfish  lord, 
destined  by  Efizabeth  to  share  the  throne  with 
Mary,  was  no  other  than  Sir  Robert  Dudley, 
better  known  afterwards  as  the  Earl  of  Leices- 
ter. Maitland's  surprise  was  natural ;  no  one 
was  ignorant  in  London  or  England  that  Robert 
Dudley  was  the  favored  lover  of  the  queen; 
that  the  most  dishonorable  reports  were  in  cir- 
culation respecting  her  conduct ;  and  that,  with 
a  cynical  indifference  for  public  opinion,  Eliza- 
beth took  no  pains  to  conceal  the  impropriety 
of  her  conduct.  Maitland  thence  concluded  that 
Elizabeth  did  not  wish  the  queen  to  marry,  for 
most  assuredly  she  would  not  be  separated  from 
the  man  who  for  two  years  hindered  her  from 
yielding  to  the  wishes  of  her  subjects.  Lastly, 
when  this  was  officially  communicated  to  Mary, 
she  answered  haughtily  that  the  Queen  of  Scot- 
land, queen  dowager  of  France,  could  not  be- 
come the  wife  of  a  mere  subject. 

Mary  had  too  much  penetration  not  to  divine 
Elizabeth's  real  design ;  but  not  wishing  to  ap- 
pear to  reject  disdainfully  her  sister's  offer,  she 
added  that,  after  mature  reflection,  she  had 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


153 


decided  on  marrying  Sir  Robert,  on  condition 
that  Elizabeth  would  recognize  her  publicly,  and 
cause  her  to  be  recognized  by  Parliament,  as  her 
heir,  in  case  she  died  without  children.  Mary 
knew  that  this  condition  would  not  be  accepted. 
(1564.) 

Meanwhile  she  had  partly  responded  to  the 
desires  of  the  Queen  of  England  by  refusing,  be- 
sides, the  archduke,  the  Prince  of  Asturia,  the 
Dukes  of  Anjou,  Nemours,  Orleans,  and  Ferrara. 
The  Earl  of  Murray  entertained  the  views  of  the 
Queen  of  England  ;  he  is  represented  as  aspiring 
to  the  succession  for  himself  or  for  his  children, 
and  was  consequently  interested  in  opposing  her 
sister's  marriage  ;  some  even  go  so  far  as  to  say, 
that  he  had  entertained  a  criminal  passion  for 
his  sister,  which,  not  being  sated,  was  changed 
afterwards  into  a  dreadful  feeling  of  hatred. 

In  the  interim,  the  English  Parliament  was 
occupied  with  the  succession  ;  all  parties  had 
agreed  that  the  next  heir  was  to  be  sought  among 
the  descendants  either  of  Margaret,  the  elder,  or 
of  Mary,  the  younger,  sister  of  Henry  VIII. ;  the 
former  had  espoused  James  IV.,  King  of  Scot- 
land, and  grandfather  of  Mary  ;  the  latter  had 
been  three  months  queen  of  France  by  her 
marriage  with  Louis  XII. ;  she  had  afterwards 


154  LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 

0 

married  the  Duke  of  Suffolk.  Mary  was,  un- 
doubtedly, the  rightful  representative  of  Mar- 
garet; but  there  were  some  who  preferred  the 
Countess  of  Lennox,  the  daughter  of  Queen  Mar- 
garet by  her  second  husband,  the  Earl  of  Angus. 
Margaret  Douglas  —  this  daughters  name  —  had 
been  brought  up  at  court  under  the  eyes  of  her 
uncle,  who,  washing  to  reward  the  Earl  of  Len- 
nox, who  had  been  the  leader  of  the  English 
party  after  the  death  of  James  V.,  gave  her  to 
him  as  a  wife,  with  considerable  lands.  From 
this  marriage  issued  several  children,  the  eldest 
of  whom  bore  the  name  of  Lord  Darnley.  It 
was  represented  to  Mary  that  a  marriage  with 
him  would  be  worthy  of  her,  for  the  Earl  of 
Lennox  was  a  near  relation  of  the  Stuarts,  and 
his  wife  was  the  niece  of  Hemy  VIII.  Darnley, 
besides,  would  satisfy  the  requirements  of  Eliza- 
beth, since  he  had  been  born  in  her  dominions, 
and  was  heir  to  the  lands  which  his  father  held 
of  the  English  crown ;  and  it  would  strengthen 
her  claim  to  the  succession,  since  all  the  rights 
of  the  descendants  of  Margaret,  in  both  lines, 
would  centre  in  her  and  her  husband.  The  idea 
had  been  first  suggested  to  Mary  by  the  Countess 
of  Lennox,  and  she  had  adopted  it.  Not  doubt- 
ing that  Elizabeth  would  approve  of  it,  she  im- 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


155 


mediately  informed  her  of  it.  But  if  Elizabeth's 
conduct  had  been  enigmatical  before,  it  became 
from  this  period  inexplicable.  On  the  one  hand, 
she  wrote  to  Mary  not  to  admit  the  Earl  of  Len- 
nox into  her  dominions ;  on  the  other,  she  per- 
mitted the  earl  to  proceed  to  Scotland,  and  even 
gave  him  a  letter  of  recommendation  to  Mary ; 
and  afterwards  complained  of  the  gracious  recep- 
tion which  he  had  experienced  in  consequence  of 
her  own  request.  In  like  manner  she  proposed 
anew  Sir  Robert  Dudley,  whom  she  had  created 
Earl  of  Leicester,  that  he  might  appear  more 
worthy  of  a  royal  consort ;  but  then  she  opposed 
a  new  obstacle  to  his  success,  by  allowing  Darn- 
ley  to  proceed  to  the  Scottish  court,  on  a  pre- 
tended visit  to  his  father. 

Some  persons  believe  that  the  Queen  of  Eng- 
land permitted  Darnley  to  proceed  to  Scotland  in 
the  hope  that  his  presence  at  Holyrood  would 
ruin  him  in  Mary's  opinion.  Darnley  was  of  tall 
stature,  fine  form,  and  engaging  exterior,  but  he 
had  neither  penetration,  nor  wit,  nor  prudence ; 
and  a  woman  like  Mary  would  perceive  herself 
too  much  his  superior  to  condescend  to  such  a 
•anion.  Elizabeth  was  mistaken  if  such  was  her 
expectation  ;  Mary  was  enamoured  at  first  sight, 
and  only  regarded  the  exterior.  Nevertheless, 


156 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


when,  after  some  days,  he  made  a  proposal  of 
marriage  to  her,  she  reproached  him  with  his  pre- 
sumption, refused  his  proffered  ring,  and  so  dis- 
concerted him,  that  he  knew  not  what  to  reply ; 
but  Elizabeth  aided  him  without  being  aware  of 
it.  She  wrote  imperiously  to  Mary  that  if  she 
expected  to  have  any  inquiry  made  into  her  claim 
to  the  succession,  she  must  either  marry  Leices- 
ter or  engage  to  remain  a  widow. 

Mary,  on  receiving  this  letter,  burst  into  tears, 
for  her  good  sister^ s  object  was  then  divulged: 
Elizabeth  neither  wished  nor  intended  her  to  suc- 
ceed to  the  English  crown  herself,  nor  have  issua 
to  perpetuate  her  right.  But  the  Queen  of  Scot- 
land had  too  much  spirit  to  submit  to  the  dictates 
of  a  stranger.  Thenceforward  she  beheld  Darnley 
with  a  more  favorable  eye ;  and  as  the  advice  of 
her  friends  concurred  with  her  own  inclinations, 
she  informed  Elizabeth  that  she  had  resolved  on 
sharing  her  throne  with  Darnley.  Elizabeth  was 
revenged  upon  the  Countess  of  Lennox,  in  which 
she  exhibited  much  littleness.  When  the  con- 
duct of  this  great  queen  —  of  whom  the  English 
are  so  proud  —  is  narrowly  examined,  very  little 
character  is  manifested.  She  ordered  Lennox 
and  his  son  to  return  to  England,  under  penalty 
of  forfeiture ;  and,  as  if  the  Catholics  were  the 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


157 


cause  of  this  marriage,  it  was  resolved  to  treat 
them  with  additional  severity.  The  unprincipled 
Throckmorton  was  sent  to  Scotland,  where  he 
begged  and  threatened,  yet  was  not  able  to  sub- 
due the  resolution  of  Mary.  He  then  directed 
his  remonstrances  to  the  disaffected  lords,  and 
stimulated  them  to  rebellion,  with  the  hope  of 
assistance  from  England. 

At  the  head  of  the  malcontents  was  the  Earl 
of  Murray,  who  opposed  his  sister's  marriage  with 
Darnley,  either  because  he  felt  for  her  more  than 
fraternal  love,  or  because  this  marriage  would 
destroy  his  hopes.  His  associates  were  the  Duke 
of  Chastelherault,  who  feared  that  the  marriage 
of  the  queen  with  Darnley  would  give  the  as- 
cendency to  the  rival  house  of  Lennox  ;  the  Earl 
of  Argyle,  who  had  been  compelled  to  restore  to 
the  father  of  Darnley  the  forfeited  property  of  the 
family ;  and  many  of  the  lords,  who  had  fought 
under  the  same  standard  during  the  war  of 
the  reformation.  Murray  retired  from  the  court 
under  the  same  conscientious  scruples  which 
Elizabeth  had  alleged  against  the  Archduke  of 
Austria,  and  a  plan  was  formed  to  surprise  Mary, 
Lennox,  and  Darnley,  confine  the  first  in  the 
Castle  of  Lochleven,  and  murder  the  two  latter, 
or  at  least  deliver  them  up  to  Elizabeth,  who, 
14 


158 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


probably,  would  not  have  them  better  treated. 
The  Earl  of  Murray  would  be  placed  at  the  head 
of  the  new  government. 

Mary,  having  received  timely  warning  of  the 
conspiracy  to  intercept  her  on  the  route,  escaped 
by  departing  some  hours  before  the  time  ap- 
pointed by  the  conspirators.  They,  being  frus- 
trated in  their  attempt,  repaired  to  Stirling,  where 
they  signed  a  covenant,  in  which  they  bound 
themselves  by  oath  for  the  performance  of  their 
engagements  ;  declaring,  moreover,  that  they 
wished  to  serve  their  sovereign  faithfully — bitter 
decision.  The  following  day  they  sent  a  mes- 
sage to  Elizabeth  to  remind  her  of  her  promises 
of  assistance,  and  to  urge  her  to  fulfil  them 
speedily.  Mary,  on  her  side,  lost  no  time.  On 
her  arrival  in  Edinburgh,  she  appealed  to  her 
faithful  subjects,  and  they  assembled  in  such 
large  numbers  that  she  had  nothing  to  fear  from 
the  conspirators.  The  banns  were  published,  and 
Darnley,  successively  created  Earl  of  Ross  and 
Duke  of  Albany,  became  Mary's  consort,  (19th 
of  July,  1565.)  Mary  I  who,  then,  has  said,  that 
in  contracting  this  unlucky  marriage,  you  dug 
the  grave  of  Darnley  and  your  own!  You  did 
not  know  your  Scots ;  you  knew  not  to  what 
lengths  almost  savage  men  might  be  impelled  by 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


159 


ambition  and  a  desire  for  vengeance ;  you  knew 
not  this  Elizabeth,  who  had  sworn  your  death, 
because  your  life,  your  existence,  as  long  as  it 
lasted,  reproached  her  with  her  usurpation ;  this 
Elizabeth,  the  falsest,  the  most  perfidious,  the 
most  inconsistent,  and  the  most  deeply  corrupted 
of  women ! 

Cecil  was  disconcerted  by  the  news  of  the 
marriage.  He  wished  to  declare  war,  but  he  had 
no  pretext ;  he  determined  to  threaten  and  in- 
timidate. A  considerable  sum  of  money  was 
sent  to  Murray ;  a  reenforcement  of  two  thousand 
men  reached  Berwick ;  the  Earls  of  Shrewsbury 
and  Bedford  were  commissioned  to  act  as  the 
queen's  commissioners,  or  lieutenants,  in  the 
northern  counties.  Bedford  was  even  authorized 
to  make  —  but  at  his  own  expense,  for  Elizabeth 
was  not  a  prodigal  —  an  incursion  into  Scotland. 
At  the  same  time,  Tamworth,  a  new  envoy,  was 
despatched  to  Mary,  furnished  with  complaints, 
remonstrances,  and  threats.  Tamworth  fulfilled 
his  mission  with  so  much  zeal,  that  the  queen, 
irritated  at  his  audacity,  had  him  arrested  and 
confined  in  the  Castle  of  Dunbar,  because  he  had 
presumed  to  traverse  her  dominions  without  a 
passport.    She  informed  Randolph,  that  if  he 


160 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


continued  to  intrigue  with  her  subjects,  she  would 
put  him  under  arrest;  she  also  charged  him  to 
inform  his  mistress  that  the  Queen  of  Scotland 
begged  her  to  be  content  with  the  government 
of  England,  and  to  leave  Scotland  to  the  care  of 
its  own  sovereign. 

This  did  not  suffice  to  disband  Murray's  fac- 
tion, which  was  already  in  arms.  Mary,  at  the 
head  of  eighteen  thousand  men,  drove  the  insur- 
gents before  her  in  spite  of  the  predictions  of 
Randolph,  who  had  predicted  before  the  marriage 
that  it  would  cost  the  life  of  Darnley,  whom 
many  of  the  conspirators  had  sworn  to  kill  or 
perish  in  the  attempt.  "  If  the  queen,"  —  Eliza- 
beth, —  he  added,  "  will  aid  them,  they  doubt 
not  that  in  a  short  time  one  country  will  contain 
two  queens  "  —  by  which  he  intimated  that  the 
Queen  of  Scotland  would  be  sent  a  prisoner  to 
England.  Murray,  avoiding  meeting  the  army, 
rapidly  advanced  towards  Edinburgh,  reckoning 
on  the  insurrection  of  the  inhabitants ;  but  they 
remained  faithful  to  the  queen,  and  he  was  con- 
strained to  retire,  because  the  castle  threatened  to 
attack  his  forces.  Pursued  without  relaxation, 
the  insurgents  successively  evacuated  Hamilton 
and  Dumfries  ;  and  having  no  longer  any  chance 


LIFE  OF   MARY  STUART* 


161 


of  safety,  the  leaders  dispersed  their  bands,  and 
escaped  to  England,* 

Here  the  hostile  intervention  of  England  was 
too  openly  exhibited  for  it  to  be  successfully 
denied ;  nevertheless,  Elizabeth  undertook  it. 
When  Murray  and  some  of  his  companions  had 
arrived  at  London,  she  at  first  refused  to  see 
them ;  and  when  she  permitted  them  to  appear 
before  her,  it  was  in  the  presence  of  the  French 
and  Spanish  ambassadors.  A  comical  scene  had 
been  prepared  in  advance :  Murray  and  the  oth- 
ers, on  entering,  fell  upon  their  knees  before  the 
queen,  and  lying  to  truth  and  their  consciences, 
declared,  in  a  humble  and  confused  tone,  that 
the  queen  was  innocent  of  the  conspiracy, — by 
which  they  acknowledged  themselves  guilty, — 
and  had  never  advised  them  to  disobey  their 
sovereign.  It  was  then  Elizabeth's  part.  "  Ye 
have  now  spoken  irutli^''  said  she ;  "  get  from  my 
presence.,  traitors  as  ye  are."  As  a  reward  for 
this  meanness,  Murray  obtained  from  her  a  small 
pittance  for  his  support  at  Berwick,  which  he 
chose,  or  which  was  assigned  him,  as  a  residence ; 

*  This  expedition  of  the  insurgents  is  called  by  the  characteristic 
name  of  Run-about  raid,  which  signifies  a  predatory  incursion.  It 
is  also  called  the  raid  of  Beith,  because  the  insurgents  had  desig- 
nated the  church  of  Beith  as  the  first  rendervous. 

14* 


16)3 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


he  was,  however,  obliged  to  say  that  he  received 
it  from  his  Scottish  friends;  it  was  necessary 
that  the  comedy  should  be  continued  even  to  the 
end.  Finally,  what  happened  on  this  occasion 
happens  at  all  theatrical  performances  :  the  spec- 
tators listen,  are  amused  at  what  they  hear,  and 
retire  fully  convinced  that  they  have  been  only 
present  at  a  play. 


CHAPTER  VL 

MURDER  OF  RIZZIO.  —  ASSASSINATION  OF  DARNLEY. 

In  triumphing  over  her  rebellious  subjects, 
Mary  had  not  overcome  all  her  enemies  ;  there 
remained  to  her  one  more  dangerous,  more  im- 
portunate, in  the  husband,  or  rather  the  tyrant, 
she  had  chosen.  So  few  interviews  had  preceded 
the  marriage,  that  she  had  not  noticed  any  of  his 
defects.  Experience  alone  convinced  her  that  he 
was  naturally  capricious  in  his  temper,  violent  in 
his  passions,  implacable  in  his  resentments.  He 
had  aheady  contracted  habits  of  ebriety,  which 
led  him  occasionally  into  the  most  scandalous 
excesses,  and  made  him  forget,  even  in  public, 
the  respect  due  to  his  consort. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART.  163 

Besides  this  coarse  vice,  he  was  extravagantly- 
ambitious,  and  lacked  the  necessary  courage  to 
sustain  the  acts  in  which  she  had  engaged  him. 
Also,  when  Mary  convoked  Parliament  for  the 
twofold  purpose  of  attainting,  among  the  rebel 
refugees  in  England,  those  who  were  the  most 
culpable,  and  to  obtain  liberty  of  conscience  for 
those  who  professed  the  same  religion  as  herself, 
Darnley  demanded  that  the  Duke  of  Chastel- 
herault  and  his  relations  should  be  included  in 
the  attainder  ;  by  that  the  rival  house  of  Hamil- 
ton would  have  lost  their  claims  to  the  succession 
in  case  the  queen  had  no  children,  which  would 
have  rendered  him  presumptive  heir  after  his 
father.  To  this  demand  he  added  another,  the 
object  of  which  had  been  between  the  queen  and 
himself  an  endless  subject  for  bickering:  he 
wished  that  the  crown  matrimonial  be  granted 
him.* 

*  The  right  which  the  queen  gives  her  husband  to  wear  the  crown 
as  herself,  and  share  with  her  the  royal  authority,  is  called  the  matri- 
monial right.  Mary  had  ordered  that  the  title  of  king  should  be 
given  him  during  her  life,  and  that  decrees  should  be  drawn  up  in  the 
name  of  the  two  consorts,  Henry  and  Mary,  King  and  Queen  of 
Scotland ;  but  this  was  only  mere  form,  which  conferred  on  Darnley 
no  real  authority.  This  crown  had  been  decreed  to  Francis  II.,  the 
queen's  first  husband ;  and  it  could  not  be  otherwise,  for  the  dauphin 
of  France  could  not  be  the  subject  of  his  wife.  Darnley  wished  to 
have  the  same  rank,  which  would  have  given  him  the  right  to  govern 


164  LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 

Mary  was  deaf  to  the  entreaties,  complaints, 
and  menaces  of  her  husband ;  she  had  ah*eady 
done  for  him  more  than  he  merited,  and  she  was 
determined  to  refuse  this  last  concession  without 
the  consent  of  Parliament.  Darnley,  being  much 
irritated,  and  imagining  that  the  opposition  of 
Mary  had  been  prompted  by  her  counsellors,  and 
especially  by  an  Italian,  named  David  R-izzio, 
who,  through  his  knowledge  of  foreign  languages, 
conformity  of  religious  opinions,  and  amenity 
of  manners,  had  arisen  to  the  post  of  private 
secretary,  swore  to  have  vengeance  upon  Rizzio,* 

Scotland  in  case  of  his  wife's  death,  -mthout,  nevertheless,  having 
the  power  to  transfer  this  right  to  children,  whom  he  might  have  by 
a  second  wife.  It  was  this  croAvn  that  the  Prince  of  Orange  received 
when  he  dethroned  his  father-in-law,  and  his  wife  Mary  assumed  the 
diadem. 

*  Rizzio,  a  native  of  Piedmont,  had  come  to  Scotland  in  the  suite 
of  the  ambassador  of  the  Duke  of  Savoy.  This  minister  had  recom- 
mended him  to  the  queen,  who  appointed  him  one  of  the  pages  of  the 
chamber,  and  not  a  domestic,  as  some  writers  have  stated.  On  the 
departure  of  the  French  interpreter,  Raulet,  Rizzio  was  appointed  in 
his  place.  Adroit,  discreet,  and  faithfiJ,  he  obtained  the  queen's 
confidence,  who,  on  her  marriage,  appointed  him  keeper  of  the  privy 
purse  to  the  king  and  queen.  It  is  said  that  when  Damley  aspired 
to  the  queen's  hand,  he  had  sought  the  friendship  or  countenance 
of  Rizzio,  who  possessed  great  influence,  and  who,  it  appears,  pleaded 
for  him.  Certain  vmters  have  published  that  Rizzio  only  pleased 
Mary  by  his  talents  for  music,  — which  she  loved  passionately,  —  and 
that  the  humble  musician  was  loved  by  his  royal  mistress.  This  is  a 
shameful  calumny,  which  the  most  enraged  enemies  of  this  unfor- 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


165 


by  having  him  assassinated ;  and  as  the  unfor- 
tunate Rizzio  was  both  a  foreigner  and  a  Cath- 
olic, which  excited  the  jealousy  of  courtiers  and 
preachers,  Darnley  thought  it  would  be  easy  to 
procure  accomplices.    He  sought  and  obtained 

tunate  princess  did  not  dare  to  assert  during  her  life.  It  was  men- 
tioned for  the  first  time  in  a  letter  of  the  Earl  of  Bedford  to  Randolph, 
and  in  a  narrative  of  this  event  supposed  to  have  been  written  by 
Lord  Ruthven.  But  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  Bedford  had 
been  sent  by  Elizabeth  to  direct  and  sustain  the  insurrection  upon  the 
frontier  ;  that  Randolph,  who,  despite  the  formal  notice  and  threats 
of  the  queen,  had  continued  to  intrigue,  had  been  ignominiously  ex- 
pelled the  kingdom ;  that  Lord  Ruthven  was  one  of  the  principal 
actors  in  Murray's  conspiracy.  Nevertheless,  the  statement  he  made 
to  Cecil  was  not  published  until  after  his  death,  from  which  it  may  be 
well  believed  that  it  was  either  forged  or  altered  by  Cecil  himself ; 
and  he  has  so  constantly  given  sufficient  proofs  of  his  dishonesty,  that 
we  are  justified  in  attributing  a  fraudulent  alteration  or  addition  to 
him.  Besides,  Rizzio  was  old  and  very  ugly  ;  the  queen  was  then  in 
the  zenith  of  her  beauty.  What  likelihood  of  her  forgetting  herself 
in  this  case  ?  What  she  loved  in  Rizzio  was  his  tried  devotedness ; 
but  a  queen  need  not  repay  devotedness  with  love.  When,  many 
months  after,  Mary,  in  full  council,  summoned  Darnley  to  state  unre- 
servedly all  his  complaints  against  her,  and  in  which  she  told  him  not 
to  spare  her,  Darnley  said  nothing  of  Rizzio.  Finally,  the  reformer 
Knox,  who,  to  show  the  superiority  of  his  doctrines  over  those  of  the 
Catholics,  seized,  Christian-like,  all  occasions  to  injure  the  latter, 
particularly  the  queen,  —  this  charitable  Knox,  who  would  have  pur- 
chased at  a  high  price  the  pleasure  of  alleging  a  deed  of  this  kind 
against  the  queen,  has  not  said  a  single  word  in  regard  to  it.  From 
all  these  considerations,  we  hesitate  not  to  reject  as  calumnious  an 
imputation  which  nothing  otherwise  justifies.  Mr.  Chalmers  has 
proved  that  he  was  never  one  of  the  queen's  musicians. 


166 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


them  among  the  lords  who  had  taken  part  in  the 
conspiracy,  but  who  had  not  betrayed  themselves 
by  any  overt  act  of  cooperation ;  of  this  number 
were  Morton,  Ruthven,  Lindsay,  and  Maitland. 

The  Duke  of  Chastelherault  was  pardoned  by 
Mary  (1556)  on  the  sole  condition  of  passing 
some  years  on  the  continent,  which  elcited  a 
violent  resentment  in  Darnley.  The  perfidious 
Maitland,  who  perceived  that  his  fate  was  in 
some  manner  linked  to  that  of  the  exiles,  —  a 
single  word  from  whom  would  accuse  him, — 
Morton,  and  others  believed  the  occasion  favor- 
able to  induce  the  king  to  make  common  cause 
with  them.  The  first  suggestion  was  made  by 
George  Douglas,  the  brother  of  Morton  ;  and  as 
Douglas  knew  the  king's  sentiments  with  re- 
spect to  Rizzio,  he  insinuated  to  him  that  the 
queen  had  transferred  her  affections  to  Rizzio ; 
that  it  was  by  the  advice  of  this  odious  favorite 
that  she  had  pardoned  Hamilton,  who  had  retired 
from  the  kingdom,  and  that  she  so  persistingly 
refused  him  the  matrimonial  crown.  Therefore 
the  only  expedient  for  him  to  obtain  his  just 
rights,  was  to  call  to  his  aid  the  expatriated  lords. 

This  thoughtless  prince  must  have  known  that 
these  lords  were  his  enemies,  and  that  if  they 
had  sought  a  refuge  in  England,  it  was  because 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


167 


they  wished  to  take  his  life,  though  their  project 
had  not  succeeded  ;  in  spite  of  such  antecedents, 
he  did  not  hesitate  to  confide  in  men  who  only 
opened  their  arms  to  stifle  him  in  their  embrace. 
Two  bonds  were  prepared  and  subscribed,  the 
one  by  Darnley,  the  other  by  Argyle,  Murray, 
Rothes,  Boyd,  and  Ochiltree,  in  the  name  of  all 
the  conspirators.  Darnley  engaged  to  prevent 
their  attainder,  to  obtain  their  pardon,  to  sup- 
port their  religion,  and  to  aid  them  in  all  their 
just  quarrels  ;  they  to  become  his  true  subjects, 
friends  to  his  friends,  and  enemies  to  his  ene- 
mies ;  to  obtain  for  him  the  crown  matrimonial 
during  the  whole  of  his  life  ;  for  that  purpose  to 
defend  him  at  all  points ;  to  maintain  his  just 
claim  to  the  succession  in  case  of  Mary's  de- 
cease ;  to  extirpate,  or  slay,  every  gainsayer ;  and 
to  use  their  influence  with  the  Queen  of  Eng- 
land in  favor  of  his  mother,  the  Countess  of 
Lennox,  and  his  brother. 

These  engagements  were  followed  by  another 
still  more  atrocious,  in  which  Darnley  avowed 
his  determination  to  bring  to  punishment  divers 
persons,  especially  an  Italian  called  David,  who 
abused  the  queen's  confidence.  It  is  believed 
that  the  other  persons  thus  devoted  to  slaughter 
were  the  Earls  of  Huntley,  Bothwell,  and  Athol, 


168 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


liords  Fleming  and  Livingston,  and  Sir  James 
Balfour.  It  was  said  in  this  infernal  bond  that, 
in  case  of  any  difficulty  in  pursuing  these  indi- 
viduals by  lawful  means,  "  to  take  and  slay  them 
wherever  they  might  be  found."  Darnley  thence- 
forth bound  himself  and  his  heirs  to  save  scath- 
less  all  earls,  lords,  barons,  and  others,  who  should 
aid  him  in  this  enterprise. 

The  conspirators  carefully  circulated  reports 
that  the  evangel  ivas  in  danger^  that  Rizzio  was 
an  emissary  of  the  pope,  and  that  Mary  had 
signed  the  holy  league,  by  which,  it  was  pre- 
tended, the  Catholic  princes  bound  themselves  to 
exterminate  the  Protestants  by  a  general  mas- 
sacre. The  fact  was,  that  Mary  had  received  a 
message  from  the  sovereign  pontiff,  who  exhorted 
her,  as  was  meet,  to  persevere  in  the  faith,  rec- 
ommended to  her  care  the  Catholics  of  her  realm, 
and  besought  her  to  send  some  Scottish  prelate 
to  the  Council  of  Trent.  But  if  the  conspira- 
tors had  only  told  what  was  true,  they  would  not 
have  succeeded  so  easily  in  perverting  opinion. 
As  the  leading  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  were  among  the  conspirators,  a  proclama- 
tion of  the  Assembly  *  appeared,  ordering  a  gen- 


*  A  convocation,  convention,  or  council  of  ministers  and  ruling 
elders,  delegated  from  each  presbytery. 


LIFE   OF   MARY   STUART.  169 

eral  fast  to  be  kept  from  one  Sunday  to  another, 
on  the  week  of  the  opening  of  Parliament ;  and, 
as  if  to  prepare  their  minds  for  scenes  of  blood, 
or  a  revolution  in  the  government,  the  service 
for  each  day  was  composed  of  select  lessons 
from  the  Old  Testament,  descriptive  of  the  extir- 
pation of  idolatry,  the  chastisement  of  wicked 
princes,  and  the  visitations  of  God  on  his  people, 
whenever  they  neglected  the  admonitions  of  the 
prophets. 

On  the  fourth  day  of  this  fast,  (Thursday,  7th 
of  March,)  the  queen  opened  the  Parliament. 
The  bill  of  attainder  was  drawn  by  the  lords  of 
the  articles  ;  and  the  Thursday  following  was 
appointed  for  action  upon  it.  But  on  Saturday, 
Morton,  Chancellor  Morton,  whom  party  spirit 
had  led  into  the  ranks  of  the  assassins,  followed 
by  eighty  armed  men,  took  possession  of  the 
gates  of  the  palace.  Mary,  who  was  in  an  ad- 
vanced state  of  pregnancy,  was  at  the  time 
seated  at  table  in  the  closet  of  her  bed  chamber, 
with  the  commendator  of  Holyrood  house  and 
the  Countess  of  Argyle,  her  bastard  brother  and 
sister,  Erskine,  captain  of  the  guard,  Rizzio,  the 
secretary,  and  Beton,  master  of  the  household, 
were  in  attendance,  and  not  at  table  with  her,  as 
malevolent  persons  have  said.  The  king  entered 
15 


170 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


by  a  private  staircase,  seated  himself  next  the 
queen,  and  put  his  arm  around  her  waist.  Lord 
Ruthven,  armed  cap-d-pie,  —  he  had  not  even  the 
courage  to  attack  a  defenceless  man  except  un- 
der a  helmet  and  cuirass,  —  followed  the  king ; 
the  master  of  Ruthven,  George  Douglas,  Ballen- 
tyne,  and  Kerr  came  immediately  after  Ruth- 
ven. Mary,  alarmed  at  the  sight  of  Ruthven, 
ordered  him  to  leave  the  room,  under  penalty  of 
treason ;  but  he  replied,  that  his  business  was 
with  Rizzio,  who,  fearing  for  his  life,  sprang  be- 
hind the  queen,  exclaiming,  "  Justitia  !  Justitia 
He  hoped  that  the  respect  due  the  sovereign 
would  protect  him  against  the  murderers ;  but, 
not  regarding  the  prayers  of  the  queen,  nor  her 
situation  at  a  time  when  too  much  emotion 
might  endanger  her  life,  and  that  of  the  child  in 
her  womb,  George  Douglas,  snatching  the  king's 
dirk,  struck  over  the  queen's  shoulder,  and  left 
the  weapon  sticking  in  the  back  of  Rizzio. 
Ballentyne,  meanwhile,  threatened  the  queen 
herself  with  his  dagger,  and  Kerr  presented  a 
pistol  to  her  breast.  In  the  struggle  the  table 
was  overturned ;  and  the  assassins,  dragging 
their  victim  through  the  bed  chamber  and  ante- 
chamber, despatched  him  at  the  head  of  the 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


171 


staircase,  and  left  him  pierced  with  fifty-six 
wounds* 

Mary's  friends,  ignorant  of  the  affray  in  the 
closet,  had  all  hurried  to  the  palace  gates  to 
oppose  the  entry  of  Morton  and  his  band.  But 
they  were  obliged  to  retreat,  and  remain  in  a 
chamber,  whence  they  were  not  permitted  to 
depart  until  about  two  in  the  morning.f  The 
queen,  dismayed  and  weeping,  had  not  ceased 
to  ask  the  pardon  of  her  unfortunate  secretary. 
When  she  learned  his  death,  she  checked  her  tears. 
"  Now,"  said  she,  "  is  the  time  for  revenge." 

Meanwhile,  Darnley,  of  his  own  authority, 
dissolved  the  Parliament  the  next  day,  (10th  of 
March,)  and  before  evening  was  joined  by  Mur- 
ray and  the  exiles  from  Berwick.  On  Monday 
morning  all  the  conspirators  met  for  consultation  ; 

*  In  Sir  Walter  Scott's  History  of  Scotland,  it  is  stated  that  the 
closet  and  bed  chamber  are  yet  in  the  same  condition  that  they  were 
then  left  in,  and  that  the  floor  near  the  private  staircase  bears  visible 
traces  of  the  blood  of  Rizzio.  This  may  be  so,  but  we  do  not  vouch 
for  it. 

f  It  is  contended  that  Rizzio  had  received  many  secret  warnings 
of  what  was  plotting  against  him,  and  that  he  had  despised  them. 
Sir  James  Melville  informed  him,  to  no  purpose,  of  the  dangers 
which  menaced  a  foreigner  in  every  country,  when  he  enjoyed  the 
sovereign's  favor  so  as  to  excite  the  jealousy  of  the  natives.  He  did 
not  regard  these  warnings,  and  perished,  the  victim  of  misplaced 
confidence. 


172 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


and  it  was  determined  to  confine  the  queen  in 
the  Castle  of  Edinburgh  or  Stirling,  until  she  had 
sanctioned  all  their  proceedings,  established  the 
reformed  religion  by  law,  and  given  to  her  hus- 
band the  crown  matrimonial,  so  ardently  desired 
by  him.  In  the  interim,  Murray  and  Morton 
would  govern  Scotland  in  Darnley's  nameT  The 
weakness  of  the  latter,  however,  made  the  plan 
miscarry.  As  fickle  as  he  was  violent,  pusillani- 
mous as  cruel,  he  was  himself  frightened  at  what 
he  had  ordered.  The  queen,  when  alone  with 
him,  remarking  his  trouble,  remorse,  and  fear, 
easily  resumed  the  ascendency  which  strong  souls 
have  over  weak  minds,  as  the  famous  Eleonore 
Galigai  said  at  a  later  period  in  reply  to  the 
judges  who  demanded  of  her  what  witchcraft 
she  had  made  use  of  to  captivate  the  mind  of 
Mary  de'  Medici.  Darnley,  confused  and  repent- 
ant, promised  to  remain  true  to  the  queen,  and 
oppose  with  her  those  whom  he  himself  had 
urged  to  the  commission  of  crime.  On  the  night 
of  the  12th,  the  queen  and  her  husband,  attended 
by  a  single  captain  of  the  guards  and  two 
domestics,  escaped  together  from  Holyrood 
Palace,  and  reached  in  safety  the  Castle  of 
Dunbar,  whence  they  issued  a  proclamation, 
which,  in  a  short  time,  caused  a  great  number 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


173 


of  royalists  to  assemble  around  their  sov- 
ereign. 

Six  days  after  her  flight  from  Holyrood,  the 
queen  returned  towards  Edinburgh,  and  the  con- 
spirators trembled  in  their  turn.  By  an  adroit 
act  of  policy,  tending  to  deprive  the  murderers 
of  their  auxiliaries,  Mary  proclaimed  the  pardon 
of  Murray,  Glencairn,  and  all  those  who  were 
compromised  by  the  run-about  raid ;  Morton  and 
his  accomplices  fled  to  England.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark,  that  whilst  Elizabeth  governed  this 
country,  no  Scot  had  sought  an  asylum  there  in 
vain.  No  matter  what  his  crime,  he  was  sure 
of  finding,  if  not  avowed  protection,  at  least  se- 
cret assistance.  On  this  occasion,  Elizabeth  had 
been  informed  of  the  conspiracy  some  time  be- 
fore its  execution ;  she  had  even  sent  three  hun- 
dred pounds  to  Murray  on  his  departure  from 
Berwick.  The  same  day  on  which  the  king  and 
queen  escaped  from  Edinburgh,  that  noble  spy, 
the  Earl  of  Bedford,  who  was  ignorant  of  this 
circumstance,  wrote  to  Cecil,  exulting  that  "  every 
thing  now  would  go  well."  But  when  Bedford, 
informed  by  Morton  of  the  turn  things  had  taken 
through  the  defection  of  Darnley,  in  his  turn  in- 
formed the  queen  of  it,  she  hastened  to  congratu- 
late her  sister  of  Scotland ;  and  as  Mary  in 
15* 


174 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


reply  required  that  she  should  not  afford  an 
asylum  to  murderers,  this  excellent  sister  ordered 
them  to  quit  her  dominions ;  but  they  were 
privately  informed  that  England  was  large,  and 
that  they  had  nothing  to  fear,  if  they  did  not 
obtrude  themselves  on  the  notice  of  the  public. 
The  Spanish  ambassador,  Gusman  de  Silva,  in 
the  despatches  which  he  transmitted  to  his  court 
at  this  period,  asserts  that  the  murder  of  Rizzio 
had  been  decided  upon  at  London;  that  eight 
thousand  crowns  had  been  paid  to  the  conspira- 
tors ;  and  that  Elizabeth's  ministers  only  awaited 
the  moment  of  Mary's  dethronement  to  sub- 
stitute their  mistress  for  her. 

Mary,  on  resuming  power,  resumed  also  her 
indulgent  bounty ;  and  although  she  knew  well 
the  part  her  husband  had  taken  in  the  murder  of 
Rizzio,  she  affected  to  accept  his  justification. 
Unfortunately,  Darnley  did  not  amend ;  he  was 
incapable  of  appreciating  a  generous  proceeding, 
and  misunderstanding  continued  between  the 
two  consorts,  although  Mary  appeared  perfectly 
reconciled.  As  the  time  of  her  delivery  ap- 
proached, she  took  up  her  residence  at  the  Castle 
of  Edinburgh.  Elizabeth  and  Murray,  England 
and  Scotland,  looked  forward  with  suspense  and 
anxiety  to  the  result.    Mary  might  have  an  heir 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


175  • 


to  her  throne  and  her  pretensions  ;  perhaps,  con- 
sidering the  distressing  scenes  through  which  she 
had  passed,  the  approaching  crisis  would  prove 
fatal.  Elizabeth  and  Murray  hoped,  desired; 
but  Heaven  did  not  permit  their  wishes  to  be 
accomplished :  the  queen  was  happily  delivered 
of  a  son,  and  this  son  lived  to  reign  over  the  two 
kingdoms. 

Elizabeth  had  ordered  Randolph  to  tarry  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Berwick,  and  to  transmit, 
without  the  least  delay,  the  news  of  the  event, 
whatever  it  was  ;  and  Randolph  acquitted  him- 
self of  his  commission  with  his  accustomed  zeal. 
When  the  courier  arrived  at  London,  Elizabeth 
was  dancing  gayly  at  Greenwich.  Cecil  imme- 
diately repaired  thither,  to  inform  her  of  the  bad 
news  which  Randolph  sent.  As  if  struck  by  a 
thunderbolt,  she  dropped  into  an  arm  chair,  re- 
clined her  head  upon  her  hand,  and  appeared 
for  some  time  absorbed  in  painful  and  profound 
thought.  One  of  her  maids  of  honor  inquiring 
what  was  the  matter,  she  replied,  passionately, 
"  Ah,  have  you  not  heard  that  the  Queen  of 
Scotland  has  a  fine  boy  ?  and  I  am  but  barren 
stock."  By  the  next  day  her  feelings  were  suf- 
ficiently subdued  for  her  to  express  the  satisfac- 
tion which  the  happy  deliverance  of  Mary  and 


176 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


the  birth  of  her  son  caused  her  to  experience. 
She  even  dissembled  so  far  as  to  accept,  with 
gi-eat  apparent  joy,  the  office  of  godmother  at  the 
baptism,  and  appointed  the  Earl  of  Bedford  to 
represent  her  at  the  ceremony. 

The  birth  of  the  Scottish  prince,  to  whom  was 
given  the  name  of  James,  was  hailed  with  joy  by 
the  numerous  advocates  of  the  Scottish  line  in 
England;  many,  who  had  appeared  indifferent 
as  long  as  Mary  remained  childless,  came  for- 
ward in  support  of  her  cause.  Elizabeth,  jealous 
of  the  good  fortune  of  her  sister  queen,  earnestly 
resolved  to  marry,  that  she  also  might  have  issue 
to  inherit  the  crown.  But  it  sufficed  that  both 
Houses  of  Parliament  addi-essed  her  on  the  sub- 
ject that  she  should  only  think  of  it  with  indig- 
nation. Besides  her  ordinary  irresolution,  which 
did  not  permit  her  to  have  any  fixed  determina- 
tion, Elizabeth  much  feared  death.  She  did  not 
wish  the  word  to  be  pronounced  before  her,  nor 
any  object  to  be  in  her  presence  that  might  re- 
call to  her  mind  that  she  must  die.  It  is  very 
probable  that  this  was  the  principal  motive  which 
prevented  her  from  marrying.  Should  she  have 
children,  those  children  would  have  been  her 
heirs,  waiting  impatiently  for  her  death ;  recalling 
to  her  mind  a  hundred  times  a  day  and  resound- 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


177 


ing  in  her  ears  those  terrible  words  —  her  death* 
Nevertheless,  the  king  gained  nothing  by  the 
death  of  Rizzio.  Instead  of  obtaining  the  mat- 
rimonial crown,  and  with  it  the  sovereign  au- 
thority, he  found  himself  without  power  and 
influence,  an  object  of  scorn  to  some  and  of 
aversion  to  others.  Yet  he  would  have  sacri- 
ficed the  esteem  of  every  one  to  have  enjoyed  the 
supreme  rule ;  but  the  queen  was  less  disposed 
than  ever  to  yield  him  a  jot,  being  convinced  in 
advance,  that  he  would  make  bad  use  of  it. 
Mary,  though  she  might  forgive,  could  not  forget 
the  outrage  which  he  had  offered  her.  She  also 
formed  a  new  administration  without  taking  his 
advice,  or  rather  against  his  will :  to  Huntley, 
whom  she  had  appointed  chancellor,  and  Both- 
well,  hereditary  admiral  of  Scotland,  she  added 
her  brother  Murray,  and  the  Earl  of  Argyle,  who 
had  married  the  sister  of  Murray.  There  existed, 
indeed,  several  causes  of  dissension  between 
Murray  and  Bothwell ;  but  she  prevailed  on  them 

*  On  one  occasion,  Elizabeth,  objecting  to  marriage,  said,  "I  will 
not  be  buried  whilst  I  am  living,  as  my  sister  was.  Do  I  not  know, 
how,  during  her  life,  every  one  hastened  to  me  at  Hatfield  ?  I  am 
not  now  inclined  to  see  such  travellers."  The  meaning  of  her  "not 
choosing  that  her  grave  should  be  dug  whilst  yet  alive,"  is  here  ex- 
plicitly defined.  Mr.  D 'Israeli's  opinion,  that  it  was  ob  nescio  quam 
muliebrem  impotentiam,  is  a  shallow  subterfuge. 


178 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


to  be  reconciled,  and,  at  their  joint  intercession, 
pardoned  Maitland,  notwithstanding  the  warm 
opposition  of  Darnley.  Irritated  at  being  with- 
out influence,  he  threatened  Murray  to  kill  him, 
but  soon  after  absenting  himself  from  court,  re- 
fused to  return,  until  the  queen  had  dismissed 
three  of  the  chief  officers  of  state.  Darnley  even 
declared  that  he  intended  to  leave  the  kingdom, 
and  the  Earl  of  Lennox,  who  was  unable  to  dis- 
suade him  from  this  foolish  purpose,  wrote  to 
the  queen,  at  whose  invitation  he  reluctantly 
consented  to  return  to  Edinburgh. 

On  his  arrival,  Mary  led  him  before  the  as- 
sembled council,  and,  holding  him  by  the  hand, 
solicited  him  to  detail  his  complaints,  and  not  to 
spare  her^  if  she  were  the  cause  of  offence.  Darn- 
ley formally  declared  that  the  queen  had  given 
him  no  cause  for  complaint,  which  caused  the 
members  of  the  council  to  say  —  as  in  a  copy  of 
the  statement  sent  by  ^Maitland  to  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Glasgow  —  that  he  not  only  had  no 
cause  for  complaint,  but  he  would,  on  the  con- 
tran,',  consider  himself  one  of  the  most  fortunate 
princes  in  Christendom,  could  he  but  know  his 
own  happiness.  On  his  return  to  Stirling  he 
acquainted  the  queen  by  letter,  that  what  he  com- 
plained of  was  want  of  authority  and  the  neglect 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


179 


of  the  nobility.  Mary  replied,  that  the  first  pro- 
ceeded from  his  own  fault,  since  he  had  employed 
the  authority  with  which  she  first  intrusted  him 
against  herself;  and  that  he  could  not  expect  the 
nobility  to  love  and  honor  a  prince  who  never 
sought  their  affection  or  respect. 

The  queen,  with  the  lords  of  the  council,  re- 
paired to  Jedburgh,  to  hold  the  court  called  Justice 
in  eyre*  Soon  after  her  arrival  she  was  seized 
with  a  dangerous  fever ;  and  so  slender  were  the 
hopes  of  her  recovery,  that  the  lords  were  in  read- 
iness to  proceed  to  Edinburgh  and  regulate  the 
government.  Darnley  would  have  been,  un- 
doubtedly, excluded  from  power,  and  the  regency 
confided  to  Murray,  in  the  event  of  the  queen's 
death.  On  the  ninth  day,  a  salutary  crisis  took 
place,  the  symptoms  became  more  favorable,  and 
she  began  to  recover  slowly.  We  only  refer  here 
to  the  Queen  of  Scotland's  sickness,  to  add 
another  example  to  all  those  furnished  by  long 
experience  of  the  efficacy  of  religious  succor  in 
every  situation  of  life.  By  her  piety,  composure, 
and  resignation,  the  young  and  beautiful  Queen 
of  Scotland  edified  all  those  who  saw  her.  How 
many  reasons  had  she  not  to  cling  to  this  life, 
from  which  she  appeared  about  to  depart  at  the 


♦  A  court  of  itinerant  justices. 


180 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


moment  of  its  enjoyment!  Ah,  she  had  sacri- 
ficed all  she  had,  all  she  hoped  for,  without  an 
effort,  and  without  a  murmur.  She  only  prayed 
Heaven  to  accept  the  sacrifice  in  expiation  of  all 
her  faults.  In  letters  full  of  unction,  she  recom- 
mended her  son  to  the  King  of  France  and  the 
Queen  of  England.  She  conjured  the  lords, 
whom  she  had  summoned  to  her  bed  side,  to  live 
in  harmony  with  each  other,  to  watch  carefully 
over  the  education  of  the  young  prince,  and  as  a 
last  favor,  she  earnestly  solicited  them  to  grant 
liberty  of  conscience  to  those 'who  professed 
the  Catholic  faith,  —  so  much  calumniated,  —  in 
which  she  wished  to  die ;  a  holy  religion,  which 
mitigated  the  bitterness  of  her  last  moments, 
because  it  taught  her  to  hope  in  the  divine  mercy. 

"When  the  queen  was  sufficiently  recovered  to 
be  able  to  ride  on  horseback,  she  proceeded  along 
the  banks  of  the  Tweed  as  far  as  the  Castle  of 
Craigmiller.  The  king,  who  had  only  been  once 
to  see  her  at  Jedbm-gh,  repaired  to  the  castle ;  but 
no  advance  was  made  towards  a  reconciliation. 
He  was  too  proud  to  submit,  and  Mary  had  too 
much  experience  to  yield  to  him.  In  fact,  the 
yet  unsteady  state  of  her  health,  which  had  prob- 
ably only  been  altered  by  chagrin  and  uneasiness, 
gave  her  an  air  of  sadness  which  Darnley  mistook 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


181 


for  aversion,  inspired  by  himself.  He  only  be- 
came more  peevish ;  he  did  not  perceive  that 
this  melancholy,  which  all  the  features  of  his 
wife  expressed,  was  caused  by  himself :  she  then 
believed  him  incorrigible,  and  was  often  heard  to 
exclaim,  weeping,  "  O  that  the  fever  at  Jedburgh 
had  caused  my  death  ! " 

Murray  and  Maitland  attentively  observed  the 
moral  situation  of  the  queen.  As  soon  as  the 
king  departed,  being  well  persuaded  that  the  queen 
would  willingly  agree  to  a  divorce,  by  which  she 
would  be  separated  from  a  man  who  had  so  cru- 
elly offended  her,  they  formed  a  plan  to  obtain 
this  divorce,  subsequently  to  which  they  would 
obtain  an  act  of  Parliament  confirmative  of  the 
grants  made  by  the  queen  to  many  lords.  The 
design  was  communicated  to  Huntley,  the  Earl 
of  Argyle,  and  Bothwell,  who  all  approved  of  it. 
They  waited  in  a  body  on  Mary,  when  Maitland 
reminded  her  of  the  injuries  she  had  received 
from  Darnley,  and  what  she  had  yet  to  expect 
from  him.  He  spoke  of  a  divorce  as  the  only 
means  of  freeing  herself  from  slavery,  and  at  the 
same  time  of  delivering  the  kingdom  from  a 
prince  who  might  compromise  it  in  future. 

Mary  at  first  discovered  no  disapprobation  of 
the  proposal ;  her  first  thought  was  that  of  the 
16 


182 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


captive  whose  chain  is  broken  by  a  friendly  hand ; 
she  replied  that  she  would  consent  to  a  divorce 
if  legally  obtained  and  unprejudicial  to  her  son's 
rights.  But  reflecting  upon  the  consequences 
of  such  a  proceeding,  aware,  perhaps,  of  the  re- 
ports in  circulation  of  her  liaison  with  Rizzio,  and 
those  which  were  being  circulated  of  her  in  con- 
nection with  one  of  the  five  persons  who  were  pres- 
ent,* she  asked  if  it  would  not  be  better  for  her 

*  Mary's  enemies  appear  to  believe  —  for  it  cannot  be  possible  that 
they  believe  so  unlikely  a  thing  —  that  for  tvfo  or  three  months  pre- 
vious she  had  been  living  in  the  most  shameful  adulteiy  with  the 
Earl  of  Bothwell.  This  man,  whose  name  was  James  Hepburn, — 
aged  from  forty  to  forty-five  years,  and  head  of  the  powerful  house 
of  Hepburn,  —  exercised  much*  authority  in  the  county  of  Berwick 
and  in  Eastern  Lothian  ;  he  had  at  first  declared  against  reform,  and 
assisted  the  queen  regent.  When  Mary  returned  from  France,  he 
appeared  devoted  to  her  cause  ;  he  was  at  Holyrood  when  the  mur- 
derers of  Rizzio  arrived  there,  and  he  himself  was  in  danger  because 
he  was  believed  to  be  attached  to  the  queen,  and  wished  to  hinder  the 
conspirators  from  executing  their  nefarious  project.  Mary,  naturally 
grateful,  showed  her  good  will  to  those  who  served  her  faithfully. 
The  reformed  preachers,  Knox  and  others,  drew  scandal  therefrom, 
or  rather  an  opportunity  for  creating  scandal ;  and  they  did  create  it. 
But  what  appearance  of  truth  was  in  their  allegations  ?  Bothwell's 
morals  were  very  corrupt ;  his  very  licentious  conduct  was  little  cal- 
culated to  win  hearts ;  he  was  slovenly  in  his  habits,  vulgar  in  his 
language,  and  he  was  married.  Buchanan  became  the  officious  echo 
of  this  malignancy — we  say  boldly  of  this  calumny;  for  how  can  the 
expression  given  above  be  reconciled  with  the  answer  of  Damley  to 
his  wife's  summons,  an  answer  made  in  the  presence  of  the  lords  of 
the  council,  and  reported  conformably  to  the  text  by  Maitland,  in  his 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


183 


to  spend  some  time  in  France  with  her  relations. 
"  Perhaps,"  she  added,  "  Darnley,  thus  abandoned 
to  himself,  might  learn  to  reform.  In  any  case, 
I  wish  ye  to  do  nothing  through  which  any  spot 
may  be  laid  to  my  honor  or  conscience ;  and 
therefore,  I  pray  you,  rather  let  the  matter  be  in 
the  state  that  it  is,  abiding  until  God  in  his 
goodness  put  redress  thereto."  * 

Mary's  answer  disconcerted  the  five  lords,  who 

letter  to  the  Archbishop  of  Glasgow.  He  freely  declared  that  "  the 
queen  had  never  given  him  any  cause  for  discontent."  Many  other 
documents  confirm  Maitland's  report.  The  queen's  detractors  have 
attached  much  importance  to  a  visit  which  she  made  from  Jedburgh 
to  Hermitage  Castle,  distant  about  six  leagues.  Bothwell,  her  lieu- 
tenant on  the  frontier,  resided  in  this  castle  ;  he  had  been  wounded 
in  the  hand,  in  attempting  to  arrest  an  outlaw  named  John  Elliot  of 
the  Warren,  "it  is  said  that  she  left  the  very  instant  she  was  informed 
of  this  accident,  and  Chalmers  has  proved  that  she  allowed  eight 
days  to  pass  before  her  visit ;  and  that  she  went  and  returned  the 
same  day,  which  proves  that  she  spent  very  little  time  at  the  castle. 
In  fact,  it  is  very  presumable  that  Mary's  visit  to  Bothwell  was  only 
for  a  political  purpose.  The  frontier  was  infested  by  Elizabeth's  em- 
issaries ;  Bothwell  was  a  faithful  servant,  and  she  was  surrounded  by 
suspicious  persons  whom  she  durst  not  trust.  "Very  probably  impor- 
tant interests  were  connected  with  the  arrest  of  Elliot.  It  is  certain 
that  she  sent  Bothwell  "  a  masse  of  papers  "  the  next  day. 

*  There  is  no  doubt  of  this  conversation  having  taken  place.  At 
the  investigation  of  the  murder  of  Darnley,  Argyle  and  Huntley  re- 
lated it  conformably  to  the  text,  to  prove  that  MuiTay  was  the  original 
instigator  of  the  plot.  Murray  himself  did  not  make  any  defence, 
and,  by  passing  the  charge  over  in  silence,  implicity  acknowledged 
its  truth. 


184 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


had  confidently  hoped  to  have  gained  the  queen's 
consent,*  and  they  could  not  conceive  how  — 
with  all  the  reasons  for  hatred  and  discontent  that 
her  husband  had  given  her  —  she  had  refused 
so  determinedly.  They  then  reverted  to  another 
scheme,  which  had  been  previously  agitated  — 
that  of  the  assassination  of  the  king.  Bothwell 
undertook  the  execution  of  the  crime ;  the  oth- 
ers obligated  themselves  to  protect  him  from  the 
consequences.  Sir  James  Balfour,  who  joined 
the  five  lords,  proposed  signing  a  bond,  in  which 
the  king  was  styled  a  young  fool  and  a  proud 
tyrant ;  that  the  signers  were  determined  to  pre- 
vent him  from  obtaining  the  rule  over  them ; 
obligated  themselves  to  remove  him  by  some 
expedient  or  other ;  and  that  each  should  regard 
the  means  employed  —  be  they  what  they  might 
—  as  his  own  deed.  This  instrument  was  signed 
by  Huntley,  Argyle,  Bothwell,  Maitland,  and 

*  It  appears  evident  to  us  that  if  she  had  so  far  forgotten  her  duty, 
as  Buchanan  supposes,  the  queen,  whose  passion  would  have  prob- 
ably predominated,  would  have  eagerly  seized  the  proffered  means  to 
regain  her  liberty.  Besides,  can  it  be  supposed  that  Bothwell  would 
not  have  foreseen  and  used  all  the  ascendency  he  would  have  had  over 
her,  to  gain  her  consent  in  advance  ?  And  if  she  had  refused  Both- 
well  in  advance,  would  he  have  peimitted  a  proposition  to  be  made 
which  he  knew  would  be  declined  ?  We  will  return  to  this  subject  in 
order  to  justify  the  memory  of  the  unfortunate  Mary  from  the  hor- 
rible imputation  of  having  ordered  the  murder  of  her  husband. 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


185 


Balfour.  It  is  doubted  whether  Murray  added 
his  name.  He  sought  to  leave  an  issue  by  which 
to  escape  in  case  of  the  failure  of  the  project. 
He  ivould  neither  help  nor  hinder,  as  one  of  the 
witnesses  declared  upon  the  judicial  investi- 
gation.* 

From  Craigmiller,  the  queen  proceeded  to 
Stirling,  where  the  royal  infant  was  baptized. 
Darnley  was  in  the  castle,  but  was  not  present 
at  the  ceremony,  which  was  performed  with  great 
pomp.  His  absence  is  attributed  to  the  order 
Bedford  had  received  from  his  mistress  not  to 
give  him  the  title  of  king,  and  to  the  court  of 
France  having  instructed  its  agent,  Le  Croc,  to 
have  no  communication  with  him  until  he  was 
reconciled  to  the  queen.  The  conspirators,  sec- 
onded by  Bedford,  seized  this  opportunity  to  ask 
the  pardon  of  Morton  and  his  seventy-six  asso- 
ciates. It  is  well  to  observe  that  when  the  five 
lords  proposed  the  divorce  to  the  queen,  they 

*  The  result  of  Ormiston's  confession  —  as  reported  by  Laing  —  is, 
that  all  the  lords  who  were  at  Craigmiller,  all  those  who  were  there 
with  the  queen,  had  determined  on  the  death  of  Darnley.  Murray, 
however,  always  maintained  that  he  signed  no  bond.  The  witness, 
Paris,  whose  deposition  was  calculated  to  propitiate  Murray,  said, 
"  II  ne  veult  n'ayder  ne  nuire.^'  Yet  that  amounts  to  an  acknowl- 
edgment that  Murray  was  privy  to  the  plot,  and  would  place  no  ob- 
stacle in  its  way. 

16** 


186 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


made  the  return  of  Morton  an  indispensable  con- 
dition, being  assured  of  his  wish  to  cooperate 
with  all  the  other  exiles  in  any  measures  they 
determined  upon.  Mary  yielded  only  to  their 
renewed  solicitations,  and  pardoned  them  on  the 
express  condition  that  they  should  not  return  to 
Scotland  during  the  two  following  years.  In  a 
few  days  they  again  solicited  in  their  favor,  and 
Mary  finally  consented  for  them  to  return  to 
their  native  country,  provided  they  did  not  ap- 
proach within  seven  miles  of  the  court.* 

Whether  Darnley  was  dissatisfied  with  this 
measure,  which  increased  the  number  of  his  ene- 
mies in  Scotland,  or  that  he  really  feared  for  his 
life,  he  immediately  left  Stirling  for  his  father's 
residence  in  Glasgow.  Bothwell  and  Maitland 
hastened  to  meet  Morton,  (1567,)  and  had  a 
secret  conference  with  him  at  Whittingham, 
near  the  Lannermoor  Hills  ;  the  murder  of  Darn- 
ley  was  the  subject  of  their  deliberation.  On 
separating,  Morton  proceeded  to  St.  Andrew's  ; 
the  others  returned  to  Edinburgh,  accompanied 
by  Archibald  Douglas,  who  was  soon  after  re- 
manded by  Maitland  to  Morton  with  this  mes- 
sage :  "  Tell  the  Earl  of  Morton  that  the  queen 

*  George  Douglas  and  Kers  were  alone  excepted  from  the  amnesty. 
Lord  Ruthven  had  died  in  England. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


187 


will  not  hear  spoken  of  what  concerns  him ; " 
and  when  Archibald  complained  of  the  obscurity 
of  these  words,  Maitland  only  added,  "  Go  and 
repeat  them  to  the  earl ;  he  will  understand  you 
perfectly." 

This  message,  which  Archibald  Douglas 
thought  so  unintelligible,  is  thus  explained.  If 
Morton's  avowals,  made  at  a  later  period,  may 
be  believed,  he  refused  at  the  Whittingham  con- 
ference to  concur  in  the  execution  of  the  con- 
spiracy against  the  life  of  Darnley,  unless  the 
queen's  written  order  or  consent  was  forwarded 
to  him.  Bothwell  promised  him  this  document, 
and,  as  he  was  unable  to  fulfil  his  promise, 
Maitland  sent  the  enigmatical  message.  The 
result  of  all  these  odious  manoeuvres  was,  that 
Morton,  who  feared  not  to  cooperate  openly  in 
the  murder  of  Rizzio,  when  he  had  the  king's 
warrant,  feared  to  engage  in  the  murder  of  the 
king  without  the  queen's  warrant ;  that  Both- 
well,  to  overcome  his  scruples,  promised  him  this 
warrant,  alleging  that  the  queen  would  consent 
to  the  murder,  although  she  knew  nothing  of  it ; 
and  that  afterwards  they  would  tell  him  the 
queen  would  not  give  the  document.  It  is  no 
less  certain  that  Morton  was  aware  of  the  plot, 
and  did  not  reveal  it;  that  if  he  did  not  act 


188 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


himself,  he  permitted,  or  caused  to  act  as  his 
substitute,  this  same  Archibald  Douglas,  a  re- 
formed minister  at  Glasgow,  noted  for  his  auda- 
city, immorality,  and  frightful  libertinism ;  that, 
like  Maitland,  he  foresaw  that  the  assassination 
of  Darnley  would  render  Bothwell  odious  to  the 
nation ;  that  the  Queen  of  Scotland,  an  accom- 
plice or  not  of  Bothwell,  would  share  in  the  pub- 
lic hatred ;  that  both  would  be  ruined,  and  they 
themselves,  profiting  by  their  loss,  would  rise  in 
power  and  share  the  regency. 

Although  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  Murray 
knew  all  the  details  of  the  conspiracy,  he  had 
taken  the  precaution  to  be  absent  from  Edin- 
burgh some  time  before  its  execution,  and  with- 
drew to  the  county  of  Fife,  in  order  to  induce  the 
Scots  to  believe  that  he  was  an  entire  stranger 
to  the  acts  which  would  in  a  short  time  frighten 
them  by  their  hideous  character. 

The  small  pox  happened  to  be  prevalent  in 
Glasgow,  and  Darnley  took  the  infection.  Mary 
was  soon  informed  of  it,  and  sent  her  own  phy- 
sician to  her  husband,  with  a  message  that  she 
would  shortly  visit  him  herself.  She  fulfilled  her 
promise  ;  their  former  affection  seemed  to  revive ; 
the  generous  Mary  forgot  all  the  injuries  she  had 
received  from  him,  and  they  mutually  promised 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


189 


to  think  no  more  of  the  past.  As  soon  as  he  was 
able  to  travel,  the  queen  returned  with  him  to 
Edinburgh,  and,  that  he  might  enjoy  a  purer  air 
than  that  of  the  capital,  placed  him  in  a  house 
belonging  to  the  provost  of  St.  Mary's,  known  as 
the  Kirk  of  Field. 

The  conspirators,  noticing  that  harmony  was 
fully  reestablished  between  the  two  consorts, — ; 
at  least  apparently,  —  began  to  fear  for  them- 
selves. In  one  of  those  effusions  of  the  soul 
which  ordinarily  follow  a  reconciliation,  Darnley 
might  speak  of  all  that  preceded  the  murder  of 
Rizzio ;  Mary  might,  on  her  part,  speak  of  the 
proposition  made  to  her  to  be  divorced  from  him ; 
and  if  the  two  consorts  united  their  resentment, 
there  would  be  no  safety  for  them  in  Scotland. 
The  queen,  indeed,  visited  her  husband  daily, 
gave  him  the  most  tender  marks  of  esteem,  and 
frequently  slept  in  the  room  under  his  bed  cham- 
ber. It  was  then  urgent  on  the  conspirators  to 
hasten  the  execution  of  their  plan,  if  they  wished 
to  prevent  their  own  destruction. 

It  was  known  that  the  queen  had  promised  to 
be  present  on  the  night  of  the  9th  of  February, 
at  a  masked  ball  in  honor  of  the  marriage  of  two 
of  her  servants.  That  night  was  therefore  chosen 
by  the  conspirators  for  the  execution  of  their 


190 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


plot.  They  had  procured  false  keys,  by  means 
of  which  they  had  gained  access  to  the  cellar 
of  the  house  through  a  door  in  the  city  wall. 
Thither  they  transported  a  great  quantity  of 
gunpowder,  and,  after  having  made  the  neces- 
sary excavations,  placed  it  under  the  an- 
gles of  the  house  and  especially  under  the  bed 
chamber. 

On  the  9th  of  February,  the  queen  went,  as 
usual,  to  the  Kirk  of  Field,  with  a  numerous  reti- 
nue. She  remained  in  her  husband's  company 
from  six  until  ten  or  eleven  o'clock,  and  at  her 
departure  kissed  him,  and  taking  a  ring  from  her 
finger,  put  it  on  his.  She  then  returned  to  Holy- 
rood  by  the  light  of  torches.  About  two  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  Bothwell,  wrapped  in  a  large 
cloak,  arrived  by  stealth  at  Kirk  of  Field,  where 
his  agents  were  before  him.  Two  of  the  latter 
entered  the  house  and  fired  the  train  with  a  slow 
match.  As  the  match  burned  slowly,  it  is  said 
that  the  impatient  Bothwell,  fearing  that  it  had 
become  extinguished,  wished  to  enter  the  build- 
ing to  relight  it.  He  was  with  difficulty  re- 
strained, when  an  instant  after  the  explosion  took 
place.  The  palace  and  city  were  shaken,  and 
it  was  soon  ascertained  that  the  Kirk  of  Field 
had  been  blown  up  from  the  very  foundation; 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


191 


the  corpse  of  the  king  and  that  of  his  page,  Tay- 
lor, were  found  in  the  garden,  whilst  those  of 
three  men  and  a  boy  were  buried  in  the  ruins.* 


CHAPTER  VII. 

PARTIES  PORMED.  —  THE  atJEEN  IS  CARRIED  OFF  BY  BOTH"WELL, 
AND  FORCED  TO  MARRY  HIM. 

This  horrible  assassination  excited  grief  and 
indignation  in  Edinburgh.  Bothwell  was  first 
suspected,  and  as  the  queen  did  not  withhold 
her  favor  from  him,  she  herself  was  not  spared. 
To  satisfy  public  opinion,  she  should  have  de- 
livered up  the  malefactors  to  justice.  But  did 
she  know  these  malefactors  ?  Besides,  was  not 
she  herself  an  accomplice  of  the  malefactors  ? 
This  is  a  question  which  has  been  keenly  dis- 
cussed between  Mary's  detractors  and  friends. 

*  To  explain  how  the  bodies  of  the  king  and  Taylor  had  not  been 
injured  by  the  explosion,  although  both  were  lifeless,  many  persons 
are  of  opinion  that  they  were  first  either  strangled  or  smothered,  and 
then  thrown  into  the  garden.  Others  only  say  that  the  bodies  were 
preserved  from  injury  by  the  beds.  But  how,  then,  would  the  beds 
have  been  found  broken  to  pieces  ?  and  they  must  have  been,  since  the 
entire  building  was  blown  up.  Besides,  is  it  not  evident  that  the  beds 
lifted  by  the  explosion  would  have  been  crushed  against  the  upper 
floors  ?  —  See  Mary's  statement  in  Appendix,  No.  1. 


192 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


But  both  have  more  than  once  allowed  passion 
and  feeling  to  predominate  over  discussion ;  so 
that  some  in  their  blind  hatred,  others  in  their 
zealous  flights,  have  been  equally  led  into  error 
or  exaggeration.  It  should  be  observed,  however, 
that  in  the  murder  of  Darnley,  there  was  nothing, 
absolutely  nothing,  in  Mary's  conduct  to  engen- 
der a  single  suspicion  ;  in  her  subsequent  conduct 
there  are  facts  which  may  be  converted  against 
her,  although,  on  the  other  hand,  they  are  ex- 
plained by  the  difficulties  and  embarrassments 
of  her  position. 

"  It  is  acknowledged  by  all,  that  the  queen 
acted,  at  first,  as  an  innocent  woman  would  have 
acted.*  She  lamented  the  fate  of  a  husband  to 
whom  she  had  been  so  lately  reconciled.  She 
expressed  a  suspicion  that  it  had  been  intended 
to  involve  her  in  the  same  destruction ;  and  she 
repeatedly  announced  her  resolution  to  take  am- 
ple vengeance  on  the  authors  of  so  flagitious  a 
crime.  Her  chamber  was  hung  in  black ;  the 
light  of  the  day  was  excluded  ;  and  in  darkness 
and  solitude  she  received  the  few  who  were  ad- 
mitted to  off'er  their  respects  and  condolence. 
Letters  describing  the  manner  of  the  murder, 
the  state  of  her  mind,  and  the  measures  she 

*  Dr.  Lingard. 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


193 


intended  to  pursue,  were  written  to  the  foreign 
courts  ;  and  a  proclamation  was  issued,  offering 
rewards  in  money  and  land  for  the  discovery 
and  apprehension  of  the  murderers,  with  a  full 
pardon  to  any  one  of  the  party  who  would  ac- 
cuse his  accomplices.  ...  In  Edinburgh, 
inquiries  were  made ;  much  was  discovered  to 
implicate  Bothwell  and  his  servants  as  the  actual 
assassins,  and  the  charge  was  openly  brought 
against  him  in  anonymous  '  bills,'  affixed,  during 
the  darkness  of  the  night,  in  the  most  public  part 
of  the  city.  In  a  few  days,  the  Earl  of  Lennox, 
the  father  of  Darnley,  came  forward,  and  a  cor- 
respondence of  some  interest  took  place  between 
him  and  the  queen.  At  his  request,  she  sum- 
moned a  Parliament :  Bothwell  and  some  others 
were  accused  by  him  of  the  murder.  But  on  the 
eve  of  'the  assize'  Lennox  wrote  from  Stirling 
to  request  an  adjournment.  .  .  .  The  Earl 
of  Murray  with  his  usual  caution,  had  solicited 
leave  to  travel,  and,  intrusting  his  interests  to 
the  care  of  Bothwell,  departed  from  Edinburgh 
on  his  way  to  France. 

"  Whatever  motives  Lennox  might  allege  for 
his  absence,  it  is  evident  that  he  was  intimidated 
by  the  superior  power  of  Bothwell,  and  by  the 
association  in  his  support    On  this  account  he 
17 


194 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


had  already  solicited  the  mediation  of  the  Queen 
of  England ;  and  Elizabeth  instantly  despatched 
a  messenger  to  Scotland  with  a  letter,  which  did 
equal  honor  to  her  head  and  her  heart*  Had  it 
been  perused  by  Mary  before  the  trial,  it  would 
probably  have  opened  her  eyes  to  the  abyss  which 
yawned  before  her ;  but  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  it  was  not  suffered  to  reach  the  hands  of 
that  unfortunate  princess  until  after  the  acquittal 
of  the  accused. 

"  The  provost  of  Berwick,  the  bearer  of  the 
letter,  had  reached  Holyrood  House  at  an  early 
hour  in  the  morning.  But  the  object  of  his  mis- 
sion was  already  known;  he  was  treated  with 
incivility,  and  could  procure  no  one  to  inform 
Mary  of  his  arrival.  After  a  delay  of  some  hours, 
Maitland  toolt  the  letter,  and  returned  with  an 
answer,  that  the  queen  was  still  in  bed,  and  that 
no  one  durst  disturb  her  repose.  Bothwell  im- 
mediately proceeded  to  the  Tolbooth,  surrounded 
by  two  hundred  soldiers  and  four  thousand  gen- 
tlemen. Maitland  rode  by  his  side;  Morton 
accompanied  him,  and  supported  his  cause ;  the 

*  To  her  head,  in  good  place ;  but  to  her  heart !  We  have  very 
little  faith  in  the  heart  of  Elizabeth  ;  the  most  wicked  woman,  with 
genius,  will  affect  to  have  the  best  heart  in  the  world.  Thus  it  was 
mth  Elizabeth. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


195 


Earl  of  Argyle  presided  as  hereditary  justiciary 
of  Scotland.  A  motion  to  postpone  the  trial  for 
forty  days  was  made  and  rejected;  and  as  no 
prosecutor  appeared,  the  jury,  having  heard  the 
indictment,  returned  a  verdict  in  favor  of  the  ac- 
cused. He  immediately  affixed  a  paper  to  the 
cross,  in  which  he  reasserted  his  innocence,  and 
offered  to  fight,  in  single  combat,  against  any 
native  of  Scotland,  France,  or  England,  who 
would  dare  to  charge  him  with  the  murder. 
[Kirkaldi  of  the  Grange,  Murray  of  Tullibardin, 
and  Lord  Lindsay  of  the  Byres,  successively  ac- 
cepted this  challenge ;  but  Bothwell  always  found 
some  pretext  by  which  to  elude  the  combat.] 

"  To  clear  herself  from  suspicion,  it  was  in- 
cumbent on  the  queen  to  bring  the  real  assassins 
to  justice.  This  had  been  remarked  to  her  by 
Elizabeth ;  it  had  been  urged  in  the  most  im- 
pressive terms  by  her  ambassador  at  Paris,  and 
it  had,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  been  acknowl- 
edged by  Mary  herself.  But  how,  her  adver- 
saries ask,  did  she  proceed  ?  She  refused  the 
reasonable  petition  of  her  father-in-law;  sh6 
granted  Bothwell  a  collusive  trial ;  and  she  per- 
sisted in  maintaining  his  innocence  on  the  credit 
of  an  acquittal,  which,  to  every  impartial  ob- 
server, furnished  additional  confirmation  of  his 


196 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


guilt.  Would  she  have  acted  in  a  manner  so 
fatal  to  her  reputation,  had  she  not  been  impelled 
by  some  powerful  motive,  such  as  consciousness 
of  crime,  or  a  licentious  passion  for  the  person 
of  the  murderer?  In  reply,  her  advocates  re- 
mark, that  she  was  a  young  and  defenceless 
woman  in  the  hands  of  a  faction  ;  that  she  could 
receive  no  information,  could  adopt  no  measure, 
but  through  the  medium  of  her  council ;  and  that 
this  council  was  composed  -of  the  very  persons 
who  had  planned  the  murder,  or  directed  its  exe- 
cution, or  given  bonds  to  screen  the  perpetrators 
from  punishment.  It  was  no  wonder,  then,  if 
under  such  circumstances,  and  surrounded  by 
such  interested  and  unprincipled  advisers,  she 
was  taught  to  believe  that  Bothwell  was  inno- 
cent, that  the  accusation  had  been  suggested  by 
the  malice  of  his  enemies,  and  that  Lennox  re- 
quested a  delay  because  he  found  himself  unable 
to  substantiate  the  charge.* 

*  We  are  far  from  believing  Mary  guilty  of  complicity ;  but  we  do 
not  believe  her  here  entirely  uLndeser\-ing  of  reproach.  It  is  very  true 
that  she  was  surrounded  only  by  the  accomplices  of  Bothwell ;  but 
she  was  aware  that  these  men  had  been  upon  all  occasions  her  en- 
raged enemies:  she  should  then  have  been  on  her  guard  against 
them.  Had  she  been  but  an  ordinary  woman,  she  would  have  had 
no  means  of  escaping  from  the  influence  of  the  confederates  ;  but  she 
had  shown  sufficient  detemiination  under  other  circumstances  to 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


197 


"  Two  days  after  the  trial  the  Parliament  was 
opened,  and  its  proceedings  appear  to  cast  some 
light  on  the  real  object  of  those  who  had  pro- 
cured the  death  of  Darnley.  Though  Mary  had 
reigned  but  a  short  time,  she  liad  already  be- 
stowed, at  the  solicitation  of  her  ministers,  two 
thirds  of  the  property  of  the  crown  on  them  and 
their  adherents.  They  held,  however,  these  ac- 
quisitions by  a  precarious  tenure,  as  the  law  of 
Scotland  gave  the  sovereign  the  power  of  revok- 
ing all  such  grants  at  any  time,  before  he  or  she 
had  reached  the  age  of  twenty- five  years.  It 
was  known  that  the  late  king  had  expressed  him- 
self with  much  warmth  against  the  improvident 
bounty  of  his  wife.  During  the  preceding  April, 
Mary  had  made  a  partial  revocation  ;  and,  as 

justify  one  in  expecting  more  from  her  in  the  most  trying  position  in 
which  she  had  yet  been  placed.  Why  did  she,  in  this  case,oppose  Len- 
nox ?  Lennox  and  his  friends,  sustained  by  the  queen,  would  have 
certainly  been  supported  by  the  people,  who,  in  spite  of  the  verdict 
of  acquittal,  obstinately  persisted  in  regarding  Bothwell  as  the  real 
assassin  of  Darnley.  Besides,  why  permit  a  verdict  to  be  rendered 
in  the  absence  of  the  accuser,  especially  when  so  short  a  time  was 
allowed  him  to  collect  his  evidence  ?  (He  was  notified  on  the  28th  of 
March  for  the  12th  of  April.)  If  Bothwell  was  actually  innocent, 
what  had  he  to  fear  from  a  postponed  trial  ?  Alas !  when  Mary  her- 
self was  subsequently  accused  by  Murray,  Morton,  and  Maitland, 
those  miserable  accomplices  of  Bothwell,  how  she  regretted  not  hav- 
ing shown  more  determination  in  aiding  Lennox  to  ferret  out  and 
convict  the  murderers  of  her  husband ! 

17* 


198 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


the  present  was  the  last  year  in  which  she 
could  exercise  that  right,  there  could  be  little 
doubt  that  Darnley,  had  he  lived,  would  have 
urged  her  to  a  general  act  of  resumption.  The 
great  object  of  the  lords  was  to  take  away  the 
very  possibility  of  such  a  measure.  In  the  short 
space  of  three  days,  the  lands  forfeited  by  Hunt- 
ley were  restored,  the  grants  made  to  Murray, 
Bothwell,  Morton,  Crawford,  Caithness,  Rothes, 
Semple,  Herries,  Maitland,  and  others,  were  con- 
firmed ;  and  the  power  of  revocation  was  taken 
both  from  the  queen  and  her  successors.  In  ad- 
dition, the  act  abolishing  the  papal  jurisdiction, 
which  had  been  made  by  the  convention  in  1560, 
but  had  never  received  the  royal  assent,  was  now 
ratified ;  but  to  it  was  appended,  probably  to 
silence  the  objections  of  the  queen,  a  permission 
for  all  Scotsmen  to  serve  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  their  own  consciences. 

"  The  next  proceeding  unfolds  to  us  another 
and  important  part  of  the  original  conspiracy. 
When  Bothwell  undertook  to  murder  the  hus- 
band, he  appears  to  have  demanded,  as  the  price 
of  his  services,  the  hand  of  the  widow.  On 
the  day  after  the  dissolution  of  Parliament, 
twenty-four  of  the  principal  peers,  comprising 
as  well  those  who  had  been  distinguished  by 


LIFE   or  MARY  STUART. 


199 


their  loyalty  as  those  who  had  repeatedly  borne 
arms  against  their  sovereign,  assembled  and  sub- 
scribed a  new  bond.  They  were  made  to  assert 
their  belief  of  the  innocence  of  Bothwell ;  they 
obliged  themselves  to  defend  him  against  all 
calumniators,  with  their  bodies,  heritages,  and 
goods ;  and  they  promised  upon  their  consciences, 
and  as  they  would  answer  to  the  eternal  God,  to 
promote  a  marriage  between  him  and  the  queen, 
as  soon  as  it  could  be  done  by  law,  and  she 
might  think  convenient ;  and  for  that  purpose  to 
aid  him  with  their  votes,  their  lives,  and  their 
goods,  against  all  mortals  whomsoever.  A  more 
disgraceful  association  does  not  sully  the  page 
of  history. 

"  The  next  day,  Mary  rode  to  Stirling.  *  *  * 
On  her  return,  she  had  reached  the  Foulbriggs, 
half  a  mile  from  the  Castle  of  Edinburgh,  when 
she  was  met  by  Bothwell  at  the  head  of  one 
thousand  horse.  To  resist  would  have  been 
fruitless ;  and  the  queen,  with  her  attendants, 
the  Earl  of  Huntley,  Maitland,  and  Melville,  was 
conducted  to  the  Castle  of  Dunbar.  On  the  fol- 
lowing morning  Huntley  and  Maitland  were 
liberated ;  the  queen  was  detained  ten  days 
longer ;  nor  did  she  leave  the  walls  of  Dunbar 
until  she  had  consented  to  become  the  wife  of 
Bothwell. 


200 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


"  To  explain  this  extraordinary  transaction, 
her  enemies  represent  it  as  a  collusion  between 
the  parties.  They  had  long  been  lovers  ;  they 
wished  to  marry  ;  and  a  show  of  violence  was 
made  to  save  the  reputation  of  the  queen.*  It 
is,  however,  but  fair  to  listen  to  her  own  story. 
Mary  tells  us,  that  previously  to  her  visit  to  Stir- 
ling, Bothwell  had  dropped  some  hints  of  mar- 
riage, but  received  so  resolute  an  answer  as 
convinced  him  that  force  alone  could  win  her 
consent.  On  her  return  towards  Edinburgh,  he 
seized  her  person,  and  conducted  her  against  her 
will  to  Dunbar.  There  he  renewed  his  suit  with 
more  earnestness,  conjured  her  to  attribute  his 
violence  to  the  ardor  of  his  affection,  and  laid 
before  her  the  bond  of  the  lords  with  their  respec- 
tive signatures.    Mary  perused  it  with  astonish- 

*  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  this  collusion  was  not  spoken  of  by 
Mary's  enemies  until  many  months  afterwards.  In  their  different 
proclamations,  and  in  the  act  of  Parliament  against  Bothwell,  they 
considered  her  captivity  as  real,  and  effected  by  superior  force.  To 
prove  the  collusion,  they  produced  a  paper  said  to  have  been  written 
or  signed  by  her,  and  purporting  to  be  a  license  to  the  lords  to  sub- 
scribe the  bond  on  the  20th  of  April.  Now,  if  this  license  was  gen- 
uine, no  appearance  of  force  would  have  been  necessary;  she  had 
already  declared  to  the  whole  nobility  of  Scotland  that  she  was  will- 
ing to  marry  the  earl.  If  it  was  not,  how  can  we  assent  to  an  hypothe- 
sis, the  framers  of  which  were  compelled  to  commit  an  act  of  forgery 
for  its  support. 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


201 


ment  and  dismay ;  yet  her  repugnance  was  not 
subdued.  It  did  not  arise,  if  we  may  believe 
her  own  assertion,  from  any  suspicion  that  the 
earl  had  been  guilty  of  the  murder  of  Darnley, 
—  she  had  been  taught,  by  all  around  her,  to  be- 
lieve the  charge  groundless  and  vexatious,  —  but 
she  considered  the  match  unequal,  and  the  pro- 
posal premature ;  and  she  wished,  before  she 
entered  on  another  marriage,  to  take  the  advice 
of  her  friends,  both  at  home  and  abroad.  She 
had  at  first  cherished  a  hope  that  the  news  of 
the  outrage  would  summon  an  army  of  loyal 
subjects  to  rescue  her  from  her  prison  ;  but  day 
passed  after  day ;  no  sword  was  drawn  in  her 
cause,  no  attempt  made  in  her  favor ;  the  apathy 
of  the  lords  proved  to  her  that  the  bond  was 
genuine,  and  that  she  was  a  captive  in  the  hands 
of  an  audacious  subject.  Bothwell  insensibly 
assumed  a  more  decisive  tone  ;  '  nor  did  he  ceise 
till,  by  persuasion  and  importunate  sute,  accom- 
panied with  force,  he  had  driven  her  to  end  the 
work.'*  The  meaning  of  the  words  'accompa- 
nied with  force,'  she  has  not  explained  :  Melville, 
her  servant  and  fellow-prisoner,  assures  us  that 
it  was  the  violation  of  her  person. f 

*  Anderson,  L  89,  102. 

t  Melville's  testimony  is  corroborated  by  that  of  Mary's  enemies, 


202 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


"  Bothwell  now  left  the  fortress ;  but  it  was 
to  conduct  the  captive  queen  from  one  prison  to 
another,  from  the  Castle  of  Dunbar  to  that  of 
Edinburgh.  Here  she  pleaded  for  time,  that  she 
might  obtain  the  consent  of  the  King  of  France, 
and  of  her  relations  of  the  house  of  Guise.  But 
his  ambition  was  too  impatient  to  run  the  hazard 
of  delay.  The  only  remaining  obstacle,  his  ex- 
isting marriage  with  Janet  Gordon,  sister  to  the 
Earl  of  Huntley,  was  in  a  few  days  removed. 
Both  had  already  sued  for  a  divorce,  she  on  the 
ground  of  adultery  in  the  consistorial,  he  on  that 
of  consanguinity  in  the  archiepiscopal  court :  in 
both  a  favorable  judgment  was  pronounced  ;  and 
it  was  hoped  that  the  objections  of  the  Protes- 
tants would  be  silenced  by  the  decision  of  the 
one,  those  of  the  Catholics  by  that  of  the  other. 
Exactly  one  month  after  his  trial,  Bothwell  led 
the  queen  to  the  Court  of  Session,  where,  in  the 
presence  of  the  judges,  she  forgave  him  the 
forcible  abduction  of  her  person,  and  declared 
that  he  had  restored  her  to  the  full  enjoyment  of 
liberty  :  the  next  day  she  created  him  Duke  of 
Orkney ;  and  having  granted  a  pardon  to  the 

who  say  she  was  compelled  "  to  become  his  bedfellow  by  force,  fear, 
and,  (as  by  many  conjectures  may  well  be  suspected,)  by  other  ex- 
traordinary and  imlawful  means." 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


203 


lords  who  had  subscribed  the  bond,  was  married 
to  him  by  a  reformed  minister,  in  the  hall  of 
Holyrood  House,  (15th  of  May.)  Still,  however, 
she  remained  a  prisoner.  Guards  continually 
watched  the  passages  leading  to  her  apartments  : 
no  person  could  obtain  access  to  her,  except  in 
the  presence  of  Both  well ;  and  the  harsh  treat- 
ment which  she  daily  experienced  convined  her 
that  she  had  given  herself  a  cruel  and  imperious 
master.  The  unhappy  queen  was  often  discov- 
ered in  tears.  Her  present  sufferings  taught  her 
to  perceive  and  lament  her  past  indiscretion : 
she  could  have  no  idea  of  that  long  train  of  evils 
with  which  it  was  to  be  followed." 

The  foregoing  is  a  very  correct  narration  of 
the  facts  which  preceded,  accompanied,  or  fol- 
lowed the  death  of  Darnley ;  and  the  historian 
whom  we  have  cited  allows  the  reader  to  draw 
his  own  conclusion  in  the  great  question  of  Ma- 
ry's culpability.  We  will  not  imitate  the  Eng- 
lish historian  in  his  reserve,  probably  caused  by 
circumstances  of  which  he  should  be  the  only 
judge ;  and  we  fear  not  to  say,  with  the  greatest 
conviction,  that  it  appears  demonstrated  to  us 
that  Mary  was  entirely  innocent  of  the  .murder 
of  Darnley ;  but  after  the  death  of  her  unfor- 
tunate consort,  she  might  be  reproached  with 


204 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


great  weakness  towards  him  whom  public  opin- 
ion had  designated  as  the  assassin. 

It  is  certain  that  Murray,  Maitland,  and  three 
others,  one  of  whom  was  Bothwell,  proposed  a 
divorce  to  her ;  that  at  first  the  idea  of  recover- 
ing her  liberty  pleased  her ;  but  a  moment  after 
she  repelled  the  insidious  offer,  and  in  so  per- 
emptory a  manner,  that  this  first  plan  of  the  con- 
spirators was  abandoned,  and  they  resolved  upon 
a  second,  the  murder  of  Darnley.  Now,  we  ask, 
can  it  be  belived  that  there  exists,  that  there 
could  exist,  a  woman,  who,  dissatisfied  with  her 
husband,  and  able  to  be  separated  from  him  by 
a  legal  divorce,  would  choose  rather  to  be  sep- 
arated by  assassination  ?  If  we  then  reflect 
that  this  woman  had  been  educated  wdth  much 
care,  that  she  was  firmly  attached  to  the  Catholic 
religion,  and  that  she  was  queen,  the  thing  will 
appear  yet  more  unlikely.  The  pages  of  history 
are  full  of  examples  of  divorce  between  sover- 
eigns :  how  many  marriages  have  been  annulled 
on  account  of  relationship,  distant  enough ! 
Mary  Stuart  and  Darnley  were  both  grandchil- 
dren of  Margaret,  sister  of  Henry  VIII.,  and 
consequently  cousin-germans.  Supposing  that 
]\Iary  had  had  any  scruple  about  pronouncing  a 
divorce,  as  contrary  to  her  religious  principles, 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


205 


this  scruple  would  have  vanished  before  a  de- 
cision of  the  church  pronouncing  the  nullity  of 
the  marriage.  But  to  refuse  a  divorce  and  order 
assassination !  that  would  be  too  horrible ;  it 
would  be  necessary  to  be  a  tiger  in  wrath,  and 
Mary  was  only  reproached  with  exhibiting  too 
much  goodness.  We  do  not  hesitate,  then,  to 
say  that  it  is  false  that  Mary  knew  of  the  second 
plan  of  the  conspirators,  and  still  more  so  that 
she  aided  it. 

The  lords  themselves,  before  concluding  on  the 
assassination,  had  endeavored  to  obtain  what 
they  desired  by  more  pleasant  means  —  to  deprive 
Darnley  of  the  power  to  injure  them ;  and  for 
that  purpose  he  must  either  be  reduced  to  his 
former  station  or  be  assassinated.  Darnley  had 
blamed  his  w^ife  much  for  having  alienated,  by 
concessions,  the  greater  part  of  the  royal  domain. 
He  urged  her  to  revoke  those  grants.  The  di- 
vorce would  have  left  Darnley  without  influence, 
and  Mary's  liberal  disposition  was  well  enough 
known  to  allow  the  belief  that,  left  to  herself, 
she  would  by  no  means  dream  of  using  her  priv- 
ilege :  should  this  fail,  it  would  be  necessary  to 
use  some  other  means.  And  what  the  lords 
would  have  done  —  prefer  divorce  to  assassina- 
tion —  Darnley' s  consort,  the  queen,  would  not 
18 


206 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


have  desired!  she  would  have  preferred  assas- 
sination to  a  divorce!  No,  it  is  not  possible; 
Mary  was  not  bloodthirsty. 

If  Mary  had  absolutely  wished  the  death  of 
her  husband,  would  she  not  have  made  use  of 
other  means  than  that  employed  ?  Darnley  was 
ill,  the  small  pox  often  very  dangerous  or  mortal. 
Instead  of  sending  him  her  physician,  of  repair- 
ing herself  to  Glasgow  to  administ'er  to  his  com- 
fort, would  she  not  have  permitted  the  malady 
to  take  its  course,  to  which,  perhaps,  he  would 
have  succumbed;  and  if  nature  triumphed  over 
the  disease,  could  she  not  have  found  in  Scot- 
land some  infamous  Locuste,  whose  black  art 
would  have  struck  the  victim,  without  leaving  it 
to  be  seen  by  what  hand  the  blow  was  given? 

We  should  not  forget  that  Mary  had  passed 
the  evening  with  her  husband  ;  that  from  thence 
she  had  gone  to  the  ball,  where  she  remained 
until  the  explosion  took  place.  What !  it  would 
have  been  with  an  infernal  project  in  her  soul, 
her  heart  filled  with  an  execrable  desire,  that 
Mary  would  have  appeared  at  this  place  of 
amusement !  By  taking  part  in  a  fete  given  on 
the  occasion  of  a  marriage,  she  would  have  per- 
formed the  overture  in  the  execution  of  a  crime, 
by  which  her  own  marriage  would  be  destroyed. 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


207 


No ;  so  much  villany  enters  not  suddenly  into 
the  human  heart. 

"We  do  not  believe  that  Bothwell  was  loved 
by  the  queen  during  Darnley's  life,  but  it  appears 
to  us  that  she  was  aware  of  his  love  ;  perhaps 
she  had  shown  him  marks  of  gratitude,  which 
Bothwell,  in  his  presumption,  took  for  a  more 
tender  feeling.  When  public  opinion  accused 
Bothwell  of  the  crime,  she  might  have  been  igno- 
rant of  it,  for  she  only  knew  what  passed  abroad 
through  the  medium  of  Bothwell's  associates ; 
but  the  moment  Lennox  appeared  as  his  accuser, 
her  duty,  we  have  already  said,  was  to  join  him. 
It  is  possible  that  she  did  not  believe  Bothwell 
guilty ;  but  he  was  accused,  and  an  innocent 
person  is  seldom  accused.  Mary  must  have  at 
least  doubted,  and  in  so  grave  a  matter  her 
doubts  should  have  been  resolved.  A.  verdict  of 
acquittal  awarded  in  the  absence  of  proof,  be- 
cause the  accuser  has  not  had  time  for  prepara- 
tion, proves  absolutely  nothing. in  favor  of  the 
innocence  of  the  accused  ;  the  precipitation  with 
which  the  verdict  was  rendered,  the  force  dis- 
played by  Bothwell,  and  the  peremptory  defect 
in  the  examination,  are,  on  the  contrary,  veritable 
charges. 

And  Mary  consented  to  become  the  wife  of 


208 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


such  a  man !  O,  let  us  commiserate,  deplore  the 
blind  passion  which  inveigled  her.  It  is,  un- 
doubtedly, probable,  that  when  Bothwell  held  her 
captive  in  the  Castle  of  Dunbar,  he  used  violence 
towards  her,  which  violence  was  yet  another 
crime ;  and  when  he  conducted  her  to  the  court 
of  assizes,  that  she  might  declare  that  she  par- 
doned him,  she  should  have  demanded  revenge ; 
she  should  have  remembered  that  she  was  a 
queen,  only  three  months  a  widow,  and  that  he, 
whom  she  loaded  with  favors,  had  been  accused 
of  murder,  and  was  not  exculpated. 

We  will  say  no  more  on  this  point,  as  it  is 
the  only  stain  on  the  whole  life  of  Mary,  and  she 
expiated  it  so  painfully  that  we  have  only  place 
in  our  heart  for  compassion. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

CONSPIRACY  AGAINST  BOTHWELL  AND  MARY.  —  SHE  IS  CON- 
PINED  IN  A  CASTLE,  FROM  "VN'HENCE  SHE  ESCAPES.  —  SHE 
SEEKS  AN  ASYLUM  IN  ENGLAND,  AND  FINDS  ONLY  A  PRISON. 

Of  the  twenty -four  lords  who  signed  the  bond 
in  favor  of  Bothwell's  marriage,  there  were  many, 
who,  though  not  in  the  secret  of  the  murder,  had 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


209 


been  induced  to  do  so  through  fear  or  interest ; 
but  when  they  saw  that,  in  contempt  of  the  clause 
added  to  the  recommendation  they  had  made 
the  queen  to  marry  Bothwell,*  he  had  violently 
possessed  himself  of  her  person,  they  repented  of 
their  condescension,  and  held  many  meetings 
to  concert  measures  to  wrest  from  Bothwell  his 
usurped  power.  Those  who  had  been  privy  to 
the  plot,  such  as  Morton  and  Maitland,  were  also  - 
convinced,  that  unless  they  joined  the  former  in 
overthrowing  Bothwell,  they  would  be  regarded 
as  his  accomplices,  and  made  to  share  his  in- 
famy. The  Earls  of  Morton,  Marr,  and  Atho), 
Lords  Home,  Semple,  and  Lindsay,  the  Lairds 
of  TuUibardin  and  Grange,  met  at  Stirling,  and 
were  joined  by  the  Lords  of  Montrose,  Glencairn, 
Ruthven,  and  Sinclair. 

Receiving  timely  warning  of  their  project,  the 
queen  and  her  husband  escaped  by  a  rapid  flight 
to  Dunbar.f    The  conspirators  then  took  the 

*  This  clause  was  thus  expressed :  "As  soon  as  it  could  be  done 
by  law,  and  she  might  think  convenient." 

t  Laing,  nevertheless,  relates,  according  to  a  letter  of  Beton,  that 
Bothwell  escaped  in  the  morning  from  Borth^nick,  whereas  Mary  re- 
mained there  all  day,  and  at  night  rode  away  in  male  attire,  and  was 
met  by  Bothwell  at  a  short  distance,  who  conveyed  her  to  Dunbar. 
If  this  is  true,  it  proves  that  the  queen  was  unwilling  to  be  separated 
from  Bothwell. 

18* 


210 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


road  to  Edinburgh,  and  entered  masters  of  it. 
They  immediately  published  a  proclamation,  in 
which  they  accused  the  earl  of  the  murder  of 
Darnley,  the  treasonable  seizure  and  marriage 
of  the  queen,  and  an  intention  of  gaining  posses- 
sion of  the  young  prince,  that  he  might  murder 
the  heir  apparent,  as  he  had  already  murdered 
his  father.  A  few  days  after,  (15th  of  June,) 
Bothwell,  having  collected  his  friends,  met  the 
numerous  body  of  insurgents  on  Carberry  Hill, 
a  short  distance  from  the  capital.  The  two 
armies  remained  in  sight  from  nine  in  the  morn- 
ing until  night.  The  French  agent,  Le  Croc, 
interposed  his  mediation.  It  is  said  that  the 
queen  would  have  given  the  signal  to  engage, 
but  amongst  those  who  had  taken  arms  in  her 
defence,  there  was  a  great  number  who  were 
little  disposed  to  fight  for  Bothwell.  She  was 
aware  that  the  Hamiltons  had  levied  troops  to 
come  to  her  assistance,  but  they  were  yet  far  off. 
The  queen  then  offered  a  full  and  general  pardon 
to  the  insurgents,  provided  they  disbanded  their 
forces  :  they  replied,  requiring  of  her  to  come  over 
to  the  nobility,  and  leave  Bothwell  to  suffer  the 
punishment  of  his  crime. 

It  appears  that  the  queen  would  not  consent, 
by  which  her  cause  was  ruined.    Bothwell  offered 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


211 


to  fight  in  single  combat  with  Morton,  or  any- 
one of  his  accusers.  His  challenge  was  accepted ; 
but  Bothwell,  taken  at  his  word,  found  some 
means  to  release  himself  without  drawing  his 
sword.  At  length  it  was  agreed  that  Bothwell 
should  retire  without  molestation  ;  that  the  queen 
should  return  to  Edinburgh,  and  that  the  con- 
spirators should  pay  to  her  that  honor  and  obedi- 
ence which  was  due  to  the  sovereign.  After  the 
departure  of  Bothwell,  she  gave  her  hand  to  Kir- 
kaldy  of  Grange,  and  was  by  him  conducted  into 
the  midst  of  his  colleagues ;  in  whose  name  Mor- 
ton, bending  his  knee,  said,  "  This,  madam,  is 
the  place  where  you  ought  to  be  ;  and  we  will 
honor,  serve,  and  obey  you,  as  ever  the  nobility 
of  this  realm  did  any  of  your  progenitors."  This 
was  but  bitter  derision,  for  her  dethronement  and 
the  establishment  of  a  regency  had  been  already 
determined  upon;  and  it  is  evident  that  Both- 
well,  in  defending  himself,  would  not  have  failed 
to  accuse  Murray,  Morton,  Maitland,  and  others.* 

*  Some  days  after,  to  satisfy  public  opinion  and  quiet  the  murmurs 
caused  by  the  impunity  granted  to  Bothwell,  the  confederates  pretend- 
ed to  pursue  him.  It  was  ascertained  that  he  had  taken  refuge  at  Ler- 
wick, upon  the  sea  shore,  and  Kirkaldy  of  the  Grange  was  sent  from 
Edinburgh  to  Lerwck  •with  two  vessels ;  Bothwell's  vessel  left  the 
bay  as  Kirkaldy  was  entering  it.  Not  daring  to  return  to  Scotland, 
and  likewise  fearing  that  he  would  be  delivered  up  by  the  continental 


212 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


An  hour  had  scarcely  elapsed,  when  the  queen 
perceived  that  she  was  a  prisoner  in  the  hands 
of  her  inveterate  enemies.  On  entering  Edin- 
burgh, she  was  met  by  an  excited  populace ;  her 
ears  were  assaited  with  frightful  imprecations, 
whilst  before  her  eyes  was  waved  a  banner,  rep- 
resenting the  inanimate  body  of  her  husband, 
and  her  son  on  his  knees,  exclaiming,  "  O  my 
Gody  revenge  my  cause  I  "  The  queen  expected 
to  be  conducted  to  the  palace  ;  but  they  lodged, 
or  rather  confined,  her  in  a  chamber  of  the  house 
of  the  provost,  with  orders  that  no  one,  not 
even  her  maids,  should  have  access  to  her.  For 

powers,  Bothwell,  it  is  said,  became  a  pirate — a  noble  manner  of 
crowning  his  life.  Danish  vessels  having  attacked  and  forced  him  to 
yield,  he  was  conducted  to  the  Castle  of  Malmay,  where  he  was  closely 
confined.  He  died  there  in  November  or  December,  1607.  We  are 
assured  that  upon  his  death  bed  he  acknowledged  himself  guilty  of 
the  assassination  of  Damley,  designating  Murray  and  Morton  as  his 
accomplices ;  he  added,  that  the  queen  was  wholly  innocent  of  the 
crime.  This  declaration  from  such  a  man  as  Bothwell  would  deserve 
little  confidence,  were  it  not  confirmed  by  a  thousand  other  presump- 
tions from  higher  sources.  It  is  less  easy  to  prove  that  Mary  was 
not  informed  by  Bothwell  himself,  when  he  was  in  power,  of  his  com- 
mission of  the  crime.  If  Bothwell  acknowledged  it,  Mary  had  not 
the  same  horror  for  the  murderer  that  the  Empress  Eudoxia  had  for 
the  assassin  of  Valentinian,  her  husband.  This  parvenu  to  the  em- 
pire, after  having  assassinated  the  emperor,  and  compelled  the  em- 
press to  marry  him,  boasted  of  what  he  had  done.  Eudoxia  incited 
the  Vandals  to  come  to  Rome,  and  Maximus  was  stoned  to  death  by 
the  people. 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


213 


twenty-two  hours  the  unfortunate  queen  was  a 
prey  to  the  most  lively  anguish.  From  the  street 
she  was  often  seen  at  the  casement  of  the  cham- 
ber calling  upon  the  citizens  of  Edinburgh  to 
come  to  her  assistance,  and,  bathed  in  tears,  and. 
her  hair  and  clothes  in  disorder,  conjuring  those 
who  could  hear  her  to  deliver  her.* 

The  insurgents,  before  putting  their  project 
into  execution,  had  sought  to  secure  the  coopera- 
tion of  the  Queen  of  England,  but  she  formally 
refused  to  send  them  troops  ;  she  only  permitted 
the  Earl  of  Bedford  to  stop  at  Berwick  and  from 
thence  protect  the  insurgents  ;  but  Cecil  went 

*  In  Keith's  old  English  may  be  read  the  description  of  the  de- 
plorable state  in  which  the  monsters  —  who  knew  well  that  she  was 
innocent  of  the  murder,  since  it  was  their  own  work  —  left  the  un- 
fortunate Marj'  during  the  night  of  the  16th  and  all  the  next  day ; 
they  affected  to  treat  her  with  so  much  cruelty  only  to  make  the  peo- 
ple believe  that  they  were  firmly  persuaded  that  she  was  guilty,  and 
thus  avert  from  themselves  any  suspicion  which  might  be  directed  to- 
wards them.  "  Sche  came  yesterday  to  ane  windo  of  hir  chalmer, 
that  lukkit  on  the  hiegait,  and  cryit  forth  on  the  pepill,  quhow  sche 
was  haldin,  and  keepit  be  hir  awin  subjects,  quha  had  betrayit  hir. 
Sche  came  to  the  said  windo  smidrie  tymes  in  sa  miserable  a  stait, 
hir  hairs  hangand  about  hir  loggs,  and  hir  breest,  yea  the  maist  pairt 
of  all  hir  bodie,  fra  the  waist  up,  bair  and  discoverit,  that  na  man 
could  luk  upon  hir  bot  sche  movit  him  to  pitie  and  compassion.  For 
my  ain  part  I  was  satisfeit  to  heir  of  it,  and  meight  not  suffer  to 
see  it."  According  to  Laing,  Mary  accused  Maitland  and  Kirkaldy ; 
Randolph,  who  is  surely  not  suspected,  reproached  them  with  it  very 
plainly. 


214 


LIFE  Of  MARY  STUART. 


much  farther,  and,  although  he  made  no  exact 
engagements,  he  urged  the  confederate  lords  with 
all  his  influence  to  overthrow  Bothwell,  if  they 
did  not  wish  to  be  considered  his  accomplices. 
When  Elizabeth,  however,  learned  what  was 
passing,  she  appeared  very  much  incensed.  The 
insult  offered  to  the  Queen  of  Scotland  was,  she 
contended,  common  to  every  crowned  head ;  it 
resulted  from  the  doctrines  of  Knox,  which  she 
had  so  often  condemned  :  it  required  immediate 
and  exemplary  punishment,  that  subjects  might 
learn  to  respect  the  persons  of  their  sovereigns. 
She  sent  Throckmorton  to  Scotland  to  demand 
Mary's  liberation,  to  pray  the  queen  to  pardon 
the  rebels,  and  to  ask  formally  that  the  young 
prince  should  be  confided  to  his  godmother  and 
sent  to  England,  as  the  only  place  where  his  life 
would  be  in  safety. 

This  was,  perhaps,  the  only  time  that  Eliza- 
beth was  sincere ;  and  unfortunately,  the  perfid- 
ious Cecil  rendered  of  no  avail  the  good  wishes 
of  his  mistress.  When  Throckmorton  arrived 
in  Edinburgh,  the  queen  was  no  longer  there. 
The  conspirators,  who  had  remarked  among  the 
citizens  and  mechanics  of  the  capital  a  return  of 
affection  for  Mary,  —  a  return  caused  by  her 
lamentations,  and  perhaps  by  the  barbarous  treat- 


Life  of  mary  stuart. 


215 


ment  she  had  to  undergo, — judged  it  apropos 
to  remove  Mary  from  the  capital,  as  the  only 
means  of  preventing  the  reaction  which  they 
feared.  About  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  on 
the  day  after  that  on  which  Morton  had  sworn 
on  his  knees  to  serve  and  obey  her,  she  was  con- 
ducted to  Holyrood,  whence,  in  about  an  hour, 
they  transferred  her  under  escort  to  the  Castle  of 
Lochleven,  situated  in  the  middle  of  a  lake. 
Morton  rode  on  one  side  of  the  queen,  the  Earl 
of  Athol  on  the  other  ;  and  at  some  distance 
from  Edinburgh,  they  delivered  her  to  the  custody 
of  Lindsay  and  Ruthven,  by  whom  she  was  led 
to  prison.  The  castle  belonged  to  William 
Douglas,  uterine  brother  of  Murray,  and  heir 
presumptive  to  Morton. 

Throckmorton  implored  the  queen's  liberty, 
yet  consented  to  wait  for  an  answer  until  all  the 
lords  should  be  assembled  at  Edinburgh.  He 
then  asked  permission  to  see  the  queen,  but  ac- 
quiesced in  a  refusal  when  informed  that  a 
similar  request  from  the  French  ambassador  had 
been  refused  ;  but  whilst  letters  passed  between 
him  and  Cecil,  the  lords  devised  three  instru- 
ments, which  were  forwarded  to  the  brutal  Lind- 
say for  the  queen's  signature.  The  first  con- 
tained her  abdication  in  favor  of  he?  son;  the 


216 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


second,  Murray's  appointment  to  the  regency  ; 
and  the  third,  the  appointment  of  a  council  of 
lords  to  govern  the  kingdom  in  case  of  the  ab- 
sence or  death  of  the  regent.  With  Lindsay 
was, sent  Robert  Melville,  with  letters  both  from 
Throckmorton  and  some  of  the  conspirators,  who 
pretended  to  be  her  secret  friends^  advising  her 
to  consent  without  hesitation,  because  no  deeds 
executed  under  such  circumstances  could  be  con- 
sidered binding  in  law.  That  was  true,  but  the 
confederates  confidently  hoped  that  her  situation 
would  never  change. 

She  had  not  yet  read  all  these  letters  when 
Lindsay  entered  abruptly  and  presented  her  the 
three  instruments,  ordering  her  to  sign  them,  if 
she  did  not  wish  to  perish  on  the  scaffold  as  the 
assassin  of  her  husband.  The  unhappy  queen 
burst  into  tears,  but  the  insensible  Scot  was  not 
affected  by  her  tears  ;  so  that,  believii^  her  life 
threatened,  she  took  the  pen  and  signed.  "  They 
threatened  to  kill  me  if  I  did  not  sig-n,''^  (lis  m^ont 
menacee  de  me  tuer,  sije  ne  st/gnoj/s,)  wTote  Mary 
herself,  a  short  time  after.  The  prince  was 
anointed  and  crowned  immediately  after  the  sig- 
nature, and  Murray  hastened  to  leave  France, 
whither  he  had  repaired  before  the  sentence  of 
Bothwell.    But  before  assuming  the  regency,  he 


BELIEYINa  HEB  LIFE  THREATENED,  SHE  TOOK  THE  FEN  AND  SIGNED. 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


219 


visited  the  queen  in  her  prison,  that  he  might  say- 
that  the  queen  had  conjured  him  to  accept  the 
regency.  Murray  owed  every  thing  to  his  sister ; 
she  had  pardoned  his  revolt,  she  had  returned 
favors  for  his  ingratitude.  When  liis  arrival  was 
announced,  she  believed  for  an  instant  that  she 
had  reclaimed  him  to  her,  and  a  gleam  of  hope 
illumined  her  heart.  But  in  vain  did  she  load 
him  with  tender  caresses,  in  vain  she  wept,  in 
vain  she  bathed  his  hands  with  her  burning  tears. 
Murray  was  armed  with  rigor,  harshness,  bar- 
barity ;  he  loaded  the  unfortunate  woman  with 
reproaches,  and  —  what  can  be  neither  written 
nor  read  without  indignation  and  disgust  —  this 
miserable  Murray,  the  principal  instigator  of 
Darnley's  assassination,  durst  show  his  sister  the 
bar  and  the  scaffold  in  perspective.  The  next 
morning  he  again  saw  her,  and  this  time  appeared 
to  pity  her  misfortunes  ;  and  the  poor  Mary,  em- 
bracing him  with  every  effusion  of  gratitude, 
conjured  him  to  accept  the  regency,  the  only 
means,  she  said,  of  saving  her  own  life  and  that 
of  her  son.  It  was  to  draw  from  his  sister  this 
request  that  Murray  had  appeared  to  relent  after 
having  terrified  her  by  his  gloomy  threats.  He  as- 
sented, after  several  refusals  ;  and,  before  leaving, 
he  recommended  her  to  use  great  circumspection, 


220 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


and  particularly  not  to  attempt  to  escape,  or 
raise  any  disturbance  against  the  government,  as 
it  would  be  then  out  of  his  power  to  screen  her 
from  punishment.  In  a  note  which  he  addressed 
(22d  of  August)  to  the  ambassadors  of  foreign 
powers,  he  states  that,  moved  by  the  tears  and 
prayers  of  his  sister,  no  less  that  through  obedi- 
ence to  her,  he  had  consented  to  be  burdened 
with  the  weight  of  the  regency. 

The  confederates,  after  the  example  of  Murray, 
made  public  declarations,  which  they  often  re- 
newed, and  in  which  they  called  falsehood  and 
deceit  to  the  aid  of  their  disingenuous  conduct, 
to  palliate  all  that  was  odious  in  it.  They  pre- 
tended they  had  offered  Mary  to  obey  her  as 
their  sovereign,  provided  she  would  abandon 
Bothwell  to  justice  ;  that,  upon  her  refusal,  they 
had  placed  her  in  confinement,  hoping  that  re- 
flection would  wean  from  her  heart  that  guilty 
passion  she  had  indulged  ;  but  instead  of  exhib- 
iting signs  of  repentance,  .  her  obstinacy  only 
seemed  to  increase,  which  endangered  the  safety 
of  the  young  prince,  of  the  lords,  and  of  the 
state.  Mary  replied  to  these  allegations  by  a 
manifesto,  in  which  she  proposed  a  convention 
of  the  three  estates,  to  submit  to  them  the  ques- 
tions of  the  punishment  of  the  murderer,  and 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


221 


the  validity  of  her  marriage,  promising  to  abide 
by  their  determination.  It  should  be  remarked 
that  Throckmorton  had  been  ordered  to  request 
this  reunion  of  the  three  estates,  but  his  request 
would  not  be  heard. 

It  was  only  at  the  end  of  some  months,  (4th 
of  December,)  when  a  resolution  was  taken  to 
accuse  Mary  of  adultery  and  murder,  that  an 
important  discovery  was  spoken  of  for  the  first 
time,  which  was,  however,  said  to  have  been 
made  as  soon  as  the  20th  of  June.  It  concerned 
a  silver  casket  which  Mary  had  inherited  from 
her  first  husband,  and  which,  it  is  said,  she  had 
given  to  Bothwell :  this  casket,  according  to 
Morton,  who  had  become  the  possessor  of  it,  was 
taken  upon  the  person  of  a  servant  of  Both\vell, 
named  Dalgleish,  and  in  this  casket — this  is 
Morton's  statement  —  many  letters  from  Mary 
to  Bothwell,  in  her  own  handwriting,  were  found, 
proving  an  intimacy  between  them  prior  to  the 
death  of  Darnley,  and  the  consent  of  the  queen 
to  this  death,  and  successively  her  marriage  with 
the  murderer.*  The  act  of  accusation  was  based 
upon  the  pretended  result  of  the  letters,  and 

*  We  will  in  another  place  revert  to  these  letters,  which,  it  is  evi- 
dent, were  fabricated  by  Murray  and  his  associates,  and  which  the 
queen  asserted  were  false. 

19* 


222 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


Parliament  adopted  it  without  discussion,  on 
the  10th  of  the  same  month;  to  this  act  was 
added  another  forfeiture  against  Bothwell.  Let 
us  remark,  however,  among  the  offences  charged 
against  him,  this  one  :  "  The  violence  he  em- 
ployed, contrary  to  law,  to  compel  his  sovereign 
to  marry  him." 

This  Parliament,  the  worthy  precursor  of  the 
Long  English  Parliament,  and  of  the  French  Na- 
tional Convention,  was  so  blinded  by  hatred  that 
it  was  not  perceived  that  the  two  acts  were 
irreconcilable.  If  the  letters  upon  which  the 
first  act  was  based  were  genuine,  if  she  really 
entertained  secret  relations  with  Bothwell  before 
the  murder,  it  is  fully  evident  that  her  removal 
and  marriage  were  voluntary,  and  that  Bothwell 
had  had  no  need  of  using  violence.  Neverthe- 
less, the  fact  of  violence  having  been  used  ap- 
peared fully  established,  by  all  the  documents 
emanating  from  the  confederate  lords  since  they 
had  taken  up  arms ;  it  was  only  to  deliver  the 
queen  from  acts  of  violence  that  they  had  re- 
united ;  whence  followed  the  natural  result,  that 
the  letters  were  not  genuine.  Otherwise,  was 
there  ever  a  more  iniquitous  manner  of  proceed- 
ing known  ?  When  the  guilt  of  the  vilest  crim- 
inal is  wished  to  be  established  by  papers  attrib- 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


223 


uted  to  him,  those  papers  are  produced  in  his 
presence,  he  is  allowed  to  disprove  them  if  he 
can,  and  it  is  only  when  their  authenticity  has 
been  fully  established  that  they  are  admitted  as 
evidence.  Here,  not  only  was  she  condemned 
without  a  hearing,  but  condemned  on  the  evi- 
dence of  letters  which  had  not  been  avowed,  and 
which  bore  on  their  face  unequivocal  signs  of 
forgery. 

Meanwhile  the  queen  still-  groaned  in  close 
confinement,  under  the  jealous  eye  of  Lady 
Douglas,  the  mother  of  the  regent,  and  the  strict 
surveillance  of  Sir  William  Douglas,  the  propri- 
etor of  Lochleven.  There  Mary  seemed  totally 
forgotten  ;  in  vain,  to  recover  her  liberty,  had  she 
offered  Murray  and  the  council  to  ratify  all  their 
acts.  They  had  resolved  that  she  should  never 
leave  her  prison  alive.  Nevertheless  their  will 
was  not  to  be  accomplished,  and  her  beauty, 
affable  manners,  and  even  her  misfortunes  were 
resources  which  her  enemies  could  not  deprive 
her  of.  George  Douglas,  the  brother  of  William, 
being  moved  with  pity  at  the  sight  of  so  many 
misfortunes,  and  from  compassion  to  a  more  ten- 
der sentiment,  undertook  to  effect  her  escape, 
even  at  the  peril  of  his  life.  By  previous  con- 
cert with  Beton,  a  trusty  servant  of  the  queen, 


224 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


who  remained  in  a  village  adjacent  to  Lochleven, 
a  laundress  was  introduced  into  the  queen's 
chamber,  who  immediately  exchanged  clothes 
with  the  woman,  and  carrying  on  her  head  a 
bundle  of  linen,  fortunately  left  the  castle,  and 
took  a  seat  in  the  bateau  which  had  brought  the 
laundress,  (25th  of  March;  1568.)  Unfortunately, 
one  of  the  rowers,  with  all  the  m-banity  of  a 
sailor  of  the  16th  century,  wished  to  put  his  hand 
beneath  her  mufflet,  when,  to  protect  herself  from 
this  indiscreet  act,  she  raised  her  arm,  regardless 
of  the  consequences.  One  of  the  rowers  imme- 
diately exclaimed,  "  That  is  neither  the  arm  nor 
the  hand  of  a  washerwoman."  Mary,  being 
recognized,  was  conducted  back  to  the  castle ; 
George  Douglas  was  obliged  to  fly  to  escape 
the  wrath  of  his  brother  and  the  regent ;  but  he 
confided  the  success  of  the  thwarted  scheme  to 
an  orphan  boy  of  sixteen  years  of  age,  a  relation 
of  the  Douglas  family,  known  as  the  little 
Douglas. 

Lady  Douglas  and  Sir  William  redoubled 
their  vigilance  ;  the  former  carried  with  her  every 
evening  while  she  supped  the  keys  of  the  castle, 
and  took  great  care  to  take  them  to  her  chamber. 
Five  weeks  had  already  elapsed  since  George's 
attempt ;  the  youth  was  not  suspected,  and  the 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


225 


keys  were  laid  upon  the  table  whilst  Lady  Doug- 
las took  her  supper.  The  youth  adroitly  took 
the  keys,  called  the  queen  and  one  of  her  maids 
named  Kennedy,  led  them  without  accident  out 
of  the  castle,  locked  the  door  after  them,  and 
threw  the  keys  into  the  lake.  The  two  fugitives 
entered  a  bateau,  which  had  been  in  readiness  for 
some  days ;  the  preconcerted  signal  was  given, 
and  the  oars  being  vigorously  plied  across  the  lake, 
they  arrived  safely  on  the  beach,  where  they  were 
received  by  George  Douglas  and  Beton.  Mary 
slept  that  night  at  Niddry,  in  a  house  belonging 
to  Lord  Seaton,  and  the  next  day  at  an  early 
hour  repaired  to  Hamilton  Castle.  There  her 
first  act  was  to  revoke  the  resignation  of  the 
crown,  which  had  been  violently  forced  from  her 
in  the  prison  of  Lochleven,  (3d  of  May.)  The 
news  of  the  queen's  deliverance  spread  with 
rapidity  through  the  whole  of  Scotland,  and  the 
people  received  her  with  enthusiasm ;  for  though 
easily  led  away,  if  left  to  themselves,  they  sel- 
dom fail  to  return  to  justice  in  a  short  time.  All 
revolutions,  in  which  the  people  serve  only  as 
the  instrument,  actually  profit  but  a  small  num- 
ber of  individuals.  The  Scottish  people  knew 
well  that  Morton,  Maitland,  and  all  the  other 
lords  had  only  wished  to  overthrow  Bothwell  to 


226 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


divide  the  spoils,  and  that  Murray  had  only 
accused  his  sister  to  obtain  the  power  and  reign 
in  the  name  of  a  two-year-old  infant.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  people  remembered  the  beauty, 
grace,  and  goodness  of  Mary;  her  misfortunes 
also  pleaded  for  her ;  as  to  her  errors  and  wrongs, 
she  had  sufficiently  expiated  them. 

The  royalists  crowded  from  all  parts  around 
their  sovereign,  who,  in  five  or  six  days,  was  at 
the  head  of  a  numerous  confederacy ;  nine  earls, 
nine  bishops,  eighteen  lords,  and  an  infinite  num- 
ber of  gentlemen,  offered  her  their  congratula- 
tions and  services.  It  was  then  only,  says  An- 
derson, that  the  queen  was  informed  of  the  whole 
truth  relative  to  the  murder  of  her  second  hus- 
band and  the  guilt  of  her  third ;  she  also  offered 
her  brother,  who  happened  to  be  at  Glasgow,  to 
submit  the  cause  of  all  their  dissensions  to  a  free 
Parliament,  and  to  deliver  up  to  justice  any  per- 
son whom  he  accused  of  the  murder  of  Darnley, 
provided  he  would  act  likewise'  with  those  whom 
she  might  accuse.  Morton  and  Maitland,  much 
alarmed,  proclaimed  all  of  Mary's  adherents  trai- 
tors ;  and  Murray,  fully  determined  to  maintain 
his  usurpation,  collected  a  small  but  disciplined 
band  of  followers.  Followed  by  Morton,  whose 
military  talents  he  was  acquainted  with,  and 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


227 


Kirkaldy,  a  warrior  of  tried  valor,  he  took  a  po- 
sition on  the  heights  of  Langside,  (13th  of  May,) 
at  the  base  of  which  the  queen  must  pass  on  her 
way  to  Dumbarton. 

The  Hamiltons,  who  formed  the  vanguard  of 
the  royalist  army,  consulting  only  their  zeal, 
charged  to  force  a  passage.  Their  attack  was 
fierce  and  the  defence  obstinate ;  the  victory  was 
undecided  when  Morton  attacked  the  royalists  in 
flank.  This  manoeuvre,  being  vigorously  exe- 
cuted, decided  the  contest,  and  the  royalist  army 
was  completely  routed.  The  queen  beheld  from 
Crookstone  Castle  the  evil  success  of  her  arms, 
and  fearing  that  she  would  be  retaken  by  her 
enemies,  she  immediately  mounted  on  horseback, 
and,  accompanied  by  Lord  Herries  and  several 
servants,  rode,  without  stopping,  to  the  abbey  of 
Dundrennan,  in  Galloway,  sixty  miles  from  the 
unlucky  field  of  battle.  She  was  hotly  pursued, 
but  not  overtaken.* 

The  next  evening  she  resumed  her  flight,  and 
the  morning  after  declared  her  intention  of  seek- 
ing an  asylum  from  her  good,  sister  of  England. 
Her  friends  in  vain  opposed  this  fatal  determina- 
tion; they  recalled  to  her  mind  the  causes  of 
rivalry  which  existed  between  her  and  the  Queen 


*  See  Appendix,  No.  2. 


228 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


of  England,  the  constant  bad  faith  of  the  latter, 
the  assistance  she  had  not  ceased  to  furnish  to 
the  Scottish  rebels,  and  the  jealousy  which  had 
marked  all  her  proceedings.  They  showed  her 
that  it  was  easy  to  cross  to  France,  where  she 
would  be  sure  of  finding,  if  not  actual  immedi- 
ate assistance,  at  least  the  most  favorable  recep- 
tion. Mary  was  immovable :  it  has  been  said 
an  invisible  hand  impelled  her  to  her  own  ruin. 
The  Archbishop  of  St.  Andrew's  conjured  her,  on 
his  knees,  not  to  persist  in  a  project  the  lament- 
able consequences  of  which  he  foresaw;  Lord 
Herries  and  others  joined  the  prelate.  Mary  ap- 
peared convinced  by  the  letters  of  Elizabeth  to 
her,  that  she  would  find  protection,  safety,  and 
benevolence  in  England.  She  had  received  from 
Queen  Elizabeth,  long  previously,  a  diamond 
ring,  with  the  assurance  that  this  ring  would  be 
a  sign  of  alliance  between  the  two  sisters;  and 
that  if  the  Queen  of  Scotland  ever  needed  assist- 
ance, she  would  only  have  to  send  her  the  ring. 
It  was  the  means  Mary  took;  Beton  set  out  for 
London,  commissioned  by  Mary  to  present  the 
ring  to  the  queen,  whilst  Mary  herself,  crossing 
the  Solway  Frith  in  a  fishing  boat,  landed  almost 
alone  in  the  harbor  of  Workington,  (16th  of  May,) 
whence  she  proceeded  to  Carlisle. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


229 


Mary's  arrival  in  England  was  regarded  by- 
Cecil  as  a  great  victory;  the  prey  which  they 
had  so  long  hunted  had  at  last  voluntarily  cast 
herself  into  their  toils ;  it  was  only  necessary  that 
she  should  be  disengaged  from  them.  But  how 
he  could  give  to  his  inimical  designs  an  appear- 
ance of  justice,  was  a  grave  matter  of  discussion 
in  the  council.  To  permit  Mary  to  proceed  to 
the  continent,  or  obtain  the  assistance  of  a  for- 
eign prince,  would  be  to  risk  all  the  advantages 
obtained  by  the  treaty  of  Leith  ;  if  it  was  advisa- 
ble to  restore  her  the  Scottish  sceptre,  it  ought  to 
be  by  Elizabeth's  influence  alone,  and  under  re- 
strictions which  would  leave  her  only  a  nominal 
authority ;  but  to  detain  her  in  captivity  for  life 
would  be  the  most  conducive  to  the  interest  of 
the  Queen  of  England  and  that  of  the  reformed 
religion.  Cecil  was  commissioned  to  accomplish 
this  object. 

As  to  the  queen,  it  would  be  difficult  to  say 
what  was  her  real  intention ;  for  she  changed  so 
often  in  this  affair  as  in  others,  that  it  may  be 
boldly  affirmed  that  she  was  never  of  the  same 
opinion  more  than  a  single  day.  When  she  was 
informed  of  the  revolt  of  the  confederates,  she 
favored  Mary's  cause,  because  the  insurrection 
of  the  Scottish  lords  might  prove  a  bad  enough 
20 


230 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


example  for  the  English  lords.  In  defending 
Mary,  she  indirectly  defended  herself;  she  de- 
manded her  liberty,  and  even  refused  to  Murray 
the  title  of  regent,  and  to  the  young  prince  that 
of  king;  but  her  minister  rendered  illusory  all 
the  measures  she  ordered  to  be  taken,  and  acted 
nearly  in  an  inverse  sense.  She  was  well  aware 
that  the  Scots  had  complied  with  nought  of  what 
she  had  demanded,  and  she  did  not  appear  to 
notice  it ;  all  her  zeal  was  extinguished ;  the 
ministers  did  as  they  listed,  and  Mary  remained 
a  prisoner.  She  now  only  saw  in  a  proscribed 
princess,  who  asked  an  asylum  of  her,  an  odious 
rival,  who  had  claims  to  her  own  crown,  and 
who  was  her  superior  in  beauty,  if  her  friends 
must  be  believed  ;  who  was  at  least  undeniably 
younger ;  who  had  a  son,  who  would,  one  day, 
probably,  occupy  the  English  throne :  she  would 
not  receive  her  as  a  friend ;  she  would  let  Cecil 
act  and  approve  every  thing,  provided  appear- 
ances were  saved. 

Cecil  was  the  very  man  to  conduct  so  dishon- 
orable an  intrigue,  with  one  great  advantage  — 
never  did  a  minister  possess  a  more  crafty  mind, 
nor  one  more  fruitful  in  resources.  He  com- 
menced by  assuring  Mary  that  Elizabeth  would 
endeavor  to  reinstate  her  on  her  throne,  provided 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


231 


she  would  reject  any  other  alliance,  particularly 
that  of  France.  If  she  would  consent  to  that, 
they  promised  to  employ  themselves  earnestly 
with  her  position,  and  would  first  endeavor  to 
prevail  upon  her  subjects  to  recognize  her  rights 
without  effusion  of  blood ;  in  case  negotiations 
were  useless,  they  would  have  recourse  to  arms ; 
yet  it  was  necessary  that  the  Queen  of  Scot- 
land should  first  justify  herself  of  the  accusations 
which  had  been  laid  to  her  charge.  Mary  as- 
sented to  the  latter  condition,  and  to  perform  it, 
demanded  an  interview  with  Elizabeth 

Cecil  had  not  calculated  upon  this ;  an  inter- 
view between  the  two  queens  might  have  the 
most  grievous  consequences  for  Murray  and  his 
associates,  perhaps  even  for  their  English  friends ; 
and  the  scrupulous  Cecil  persuaded  the  scrupu- 
lous Elizabeth  that  a  virgin  queen,  as  she  was, 
should  not  admit  into  her  presence  a  queen 
accused  of  adultery  and  murder,  and  the  virgin 
Elizabeth  yielded  unresistingly  to  this  unan- 
swerable argument.  It  was  agreed  that  Mary 
should  first  of  all  be  required  to  disprove  the 
accusations  of  her  enemies  before  an  English 
council  or  commission ;  it  could  be  required,  for 
the  crown  of  Scotland,  since  the  time  of  Edward 
II.,  was  subject  to  that  of  England.    Mary  tri- 


232: 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


umphantly  answered  all  the  sophisms  of  Cecil. 
She  declared  that  she  was  an  independent  queen ; 
that  she  would  never  recognize  supremacy  in  any 
other  sovereign ;  and  that  she  intended  to  return 
to  Scotland,  or  cross  over  to  France.  It  was 
decreed  that  Mary  should  not  leave  England. 
At  first  her  demand  was  evaded,  then  positively 
refused. 

Mary  then  repented  of  not  having  followed  the 
wise  advice  of  the  Archbishop  of  St.  Andrew's ; 
but  the  evil  was  done,  and  she  must  be  resigned. 
Nevertheless,  she  complained  with  no  less  force 
than  bitterness  of  having  been  deceived.  It  was 
only  after  the  positive  assurances  that  Elizabeth 
had  given  her  whilst  she  was  still  a  prisoner  at 
Lochleven,  that  she  determined  on  proceeding 
to  England  rather  than  to  France.  It  was  very 
extraordinary  that  Elizabeth  would  refuse  to  see 
a  queen,  her  relation,  under  the  frivolous  pretext 
of  an  unproved  accusation,  after  having  several 
times  admitted  to  her  presence  Murray,  the  bas- 
tard son  of  James  ;  Murray,  who  was  guilty  of 
crimes  deserving  death.  Moreover,  it  must  not 
be  expected  that  she  would  answer  her  accusers 
in  prison ;  they  were  her  subjects,  not  her  equals. 
Mary  insisted  on  being  restored  to  liberty. 

Mary  was  right  in  complaining ;  but  her  com- 


LIFE   OP  MARY  STUART. 


233 


plaints  only  reached  Elizabeth  through  the  un* 
worthy  voice  of  Cecil ;  she  was  not  heard.  Poor 
Mary !  she  did  not  suspect  that  between  herself 
and  the  infamous  minister  of  a  false  and  treach- 
erous queen  a  war  to  the  knife  had  commenced ; 
but  in  this  struggle  of  the  strong  with  the  weak, 
neither  equity,  nor  reason,  nor  good  faith  could 
triumph  over  force.  The  English  ministers,  after 
long  consultation,  decided  that  Mary  could  not 
be  received  at  court  until  she  had  fully  estab- 
lished her  innocence,  and  that  her  request  to  leave 
the  kingdom  could  not  be  granted,  ivithout  great 
danger  to  the  kingdom  and  to  religion.  But,  as  it 
would  be  easy  for  her  to  escape  from  Carlisle,  it 
was  determined  that  she  should  be  immediately 
removed  to  Bolton. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

T«IAL    OF    MARY.   THE    YORK    CONFERENCES.  —  ATTEMPTS  TO 

ESCAFE  DISCOVERED. 

To  show  grounds  in  the  eyes  of  the  public  for 
so  unjust  a  decision,  the  ministers  alleged  that 
Mary  had,  on  the  occasion  of  her  first  marriage, 
asserted  her  right  to  the  throne  of  England,  and 
that  if  she  was  at  liberty,  she  would  not  fail  to 
20* 


234 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


do  SO  still ;  that  her  advent  to  the  throne,  if  it 
took  place,  would  infallibly  ruin  the  cause  of 
Protestantism  in  Great  Britain.  The  Enghsh 
ministers,  therefore,  persisted  in  requiring  a  trial, 
hoping  to  find  means,  if  not  to  condemn  her,  at 
least  to  destroy  her  reputation.  Mary  indig- 
nantly repelled  the  idea  of  such  a  trial,  as  deroga- 
tory to  her  dignity.  At  length  the  subtlety  of 
Cecil  suggested  an  expedient,  which  equally 
served  his  purpose  —  a  trial,  not  of  Mary,  but 
of  her  enemies ;  who,  if  they  could  justify  their 
conduct  to  the  satisfaction  of  certain  Enghsh 
commissioners,  should  be  allowed  to  retain  their 
estates  and  Jionors ;  if  not,  should  be  abandoned 
to  the  justice  or  the  mercy  of  their  sovereign. 
Elizabeth  would  then  engage,  upon  certain  con- 
ditions, to  reduce  the  Scots  to  obedience. 

One  of  these  conditions  was,  that  Mary  should 
abolish  the  mass  in  Scotland,  and  introduce 
English  reform  instead  of  the  Presbyterian  or 
republican  kirk.  Lord  Herries  urgently  coun- 
selled Mary  to  agree  to  this  condition.  Sixteen 
lords  of  the  queen's  party*  were  consulted  on  the 

*  Among  the  Scottish  lords,  some  desired  that  Mary,  having  been 
released  from  Bothwell,  should  resume  her  rights  and  sceptre ;  these 
were  called  the  queen's  lords.  Those  who,  on  the  contrary,  approved 
of  the  coronation  of  the  king  and  the  regency  of  Murray,  were  styled 
the  king's  lords. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


235 


subject,  and  they  answered,  that  they  referred  the 
decision  to  Mary's  prudence,*  who  gave  a  con- 
ditional consent.  In  her  private  instructions  to 
her  commissioners,  she  herself  says,  "  Although  I 
have  been  brought  up  in  the  religion  which  has 
been  for  so  long  that  of  my  kingdom,  ...  I 
will  follow  the  counsel  of  my  dearest  sister^ 
.  .  .  and  endeavor,  as  much  as  in  me  lieth,  to 
introduce  this  opinion  —  Anglican  reform  —  into 
my  realm."  Let  us  not  blame  Mary  too  much 
for  this  act  of  weakness,  which  she  afterwards 
deplored,  effacing  her  fault  by  bitter  repentance. 

Mary  accepted  this  hard  condition,  involving, 
as  it  did,  Cecil's  pjan.  It  was  not  without  much 
repugnance  that  she  gave  her  consent ;  she  her- 
self had  to  overcome  the  opposition  and  en- 
treaties of  her  most  faithful  counsellors,  who  only 
beheld  in  the  minister's  plan  a  snare  skilfully 
laid.  But  in  order  to  be  a  judge  of  the  motives 
which  determined  her,  it  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  she  was  in  the  flower  of  her  age,  unjustly 

*  It  would  have  been  better  not  to  have  answered.  How  could 
they  refer  such  a  matter  to  the  prudence  of  a  young  woman,  who  had 
only  lately  committed  imprudences,  sometimes  through  goodness, 
sometimes  through  weakness ;  of  a  woman,  who,  burning  with  the 
very  natural  desire  at  her  age  to  terminate  an  unjust  captivity,  and 
who,  not  having  had  much  experience,  would  naturally  seize  with 
avidity  every  means  offered  her  to  break  her  chains  ? 


236 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


detained  a  captive  by  the  Queen  of  England, 
and  that  she  hoped  by  concessions  to  hasten  the 
moment  of  her  restoration  to  liberty.  The  city 
of  York  was  selected  as  the  place  of  conference. 

Mary,  undoubtedly,  only  consented  to  this  con- 
ference on  the  formal  promise,  that  when  it 
would  be  terminated,  she  would  be  replaced 
upon  the  throne.  Here  is  a  new  proof  of  Eng- 
lish ministerial  loyalty ;  a  promise  of  a  similar 
nature,  but  of  an  opposite  tendency,  was  made  to 
Murray.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  English  com- 
missioners were  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  the  Earl 
of  Sussex,  and  Sir  Ralph  Sadler,  the  confidant 
of  Cecil.  The  Queen  of  Scotland  was  repre- 
sented by  Leslie,  Bishop  of  Ross,  Lords  Living- 
stone, Boyd,  and  Herries,  and  three  others. 
Murray  appeared  in  person,  with  Morton,  Lind- 
say, the  Bishop  of  Orkney,  and  the  Abbot  of 
Dumfermlin,  aided  by  Maitland  and  five  other 
counsellors.  Mary  at  first  insisted  that  Eliza- 
beth's promise  to  replace  her  on  the  throne  should 
be  expressed  in  the  powers  given  to  her  commis- 
sioners ;  and  Murray  required  a  confirmation  of 
the  promise  made  by  the  ministry,  that,  in  the 
event  of  Mary's  conviction,  she  should  not  be 
allowed  to  return  to  Scotland.  These  contradic- 
tory demands  showed  the  duplicity  of  the  Eng- 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


237 


lish  ministry,  which  was  evinced  to  a  certainty 
by  both  being  granted. 

Mary's  commissioners,  as  plaintiffs,  set  forth 
the  charges  against  Murray  and  his  associates ; 
that  they  had  risen  in  arms  against  their  sover- 
eign, had  traitorously  confined  her  in  Lochleven, 
and  had,  by  intimidation,  compelled  her  to  sign 
her  abdication.  Instead  of  attempting,  as  was 
expected,  to  justify  himself  by  alleging  that  his 
sister  had  taken  part  in  the  murder  of  Darnley, 
Murray  demanded  to  communicate  in  secret  to 
the  commissioners  the  proofs  which  he  had  in 
his  possession  of  her  guilt.  He  alleged  that, 
laboring  under  a  capital  accusation,  he  did  not 
wish  to  make  use  of  these  proofs  against  his 
sovereign  without  being  previously  assured  of 
their  efficacy.  He  then  laid  before  the  commis- 
sioners a  translation  of  eight  letters  purporting  to 
have  been  written  by  the  queen  to  Bothwell, 
some  previous,  others  subsequent,  to  the  death  of 
Darnley ;  two  marriage  contracts  ;  and  a  collec- 
tion of  amatory  sonnets,  composed  by  Mary  and 
addressed  to  her  paramour.  The  commissioners 
did  not  give  Murray  a  definite  answer ;  but,  at 
his  request,  they  wrote  to  Elizabeth  for  additional 
instructions. 

In  every  country  where  any  principles  of 


238 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


justice  exist,  when  papers  attributed  to  a  party- 
are  produced  in  a  trial,  and  especially  in  a  crim- 
inal trial,  and  use  is  desired  to  be  made  of  them 
against  their  author,  they  are  first  shown  to  him, 
that  they  may  be  allowed  or  contested,  and  in 
this  latter  case  be  proved ;  for  it  is  only  after 
the  authenticity  of  a  paper  has  been  established 
in  some  manner  that  its  contents  can  have  any 
weight  in  law.  IVIurray  in  this  case  communi- 
cates-.the  papers  in  private,  and  the  commission- 
ers should  not  have  received  them.  If  these 
letters  were  genuine,  what  had  Murray  to  fear 
by  producing  them  ?  Was  it  because  he  wished 
to  spare  his  sister  a  public  exposure?  Was 
it  not  upon  their  evidence  he  contended  that  she 
would  be  condemned  ?  In  the  hypothesis  of  the 
genuineness  of  these  letters,  would  not  their  pro- 
duction have  caused  Mary  or  her  commissioners 
to  have  instantly  ended  the  trial  ?  Would  not 
Mary  have  borne  any  thing  rather  than  suffer 
these  letters  to  see  the  light  ?  No  ;  these  letters 
were  never  the  production  of  Mary ;  with  that 
proof  in  his  possession,  Murray  would  have 
silenced  his  sister  the  first  day.  And  then,  why 
not  produce  the  originals  ?  Why  a  translation, 
perhaps  very  incorrect  ?  This  is  not  the  mode 
of  action  taken  when  the  truth  is  advanced. 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


239 


The  application  of  the  English  commissioners 
to  their  sovereign,  asking  of  her  supplementary- 
instructions,  necessarily  delayed  the  proceedings : 
in  order  that  the  delay  might  not  be  remarked, 
or  that  the  cause  of  it  might  not  be  suspected, 
Murray  replied  to  the  charge.  He,  as  well  as 
his  friends,  he  said,  had  taken  up  arms  against 
Bothwell,  not  against  the  queen ;  the  queen  had 
been  imprisoned  because  she  would  not  separate 
her  cause  from  that  of  Bothwell ;  he  had  ac- 
cepted, not  extorted,  her  resignation.  Mary's 
commi^ioners  annihilated  this  feeble  defence. 
Murray  and  his  accomplices,  says  Anderson, 
afterwards  acknowledged  that  their  answer  was 
but  a  fictitious  plea.  They  had  sworn,  however, 
to  proceed  uprightly,  to  regard  neither  affection 
nor  hatred,  to  speak  without  malice  and  without 
human  respect,  and  to  say  only  what  they  would 
say  in  God's  presence.  But  what  is  an  oath  to 
men  who  laugh  at  the  most  sacred  promises  ? 

In  the  mean  time,  the  king's  lords,  and  the 
queen's  lords,  —  at  whose  head  was  Chastel- 
herault,  who  had  returned  from  France,  —  ear- 
nestly desired  a  compromise.  Murray  knew  well 
that  a  charge  of  murder  against  the  queen  would 
be  rebuffed  by  a  similar  charge  against  all  his 
associates ;  and  he  was  well   aware   of  the 


240 


LIFE  OP  MARY  STUART. 


feebleness  of  his  proofs,  as  for  proofs  he  had 
only  these  letters,  which  would  evidently  be  de- 
nied, whilst  the  queen  could  furnish  very  strong 
evidence.  The  Earl  of  Sussex,  one  of  the  Eng- 
lish commissioners,  had  said  in  express  terms, 
"  If  the  queen's  adversaries  accuse  her  of  murder 
by  producing  her  letters,  she  will  deny  them  and 
accuse  the  most  of  them  of  manifest  consent  to 
the  murder,  which  will  be  difficult  to  be  denied ; 
so  that,  both  sides  considered,  the  queen's  proofs, 
I  believe,  will  make  her  cause  prevail."  If  Mur- 
ray then  reflected  upon  the  consequences,  the 
fact  could  not  be  concealed  that  if  he  failed  he 
would  be  delivered  to  the  vengeance  of  his  justly 
irritated  sister  ;  that,  even  in  case  he  succeeded, 
the  sickly  state  of  the  young  prince  portended  ap- 
proaching death,  by  which  he  would  gain  noth- 
ing, as  the  crown  would  pass  rightfully  to  the 
head  of  Chastelherault,  his  mortal  enemy. 

Hence  Murray  desired  to  abandon  his  proofs 
against  the  queen,  declare  her  innocent  by  act  of 
Parliament,  and  allow  her  a  considerable  revenue 
from  Scotland,  provided  she  would  confirm  her 
abdication  and  the  regency,  and  in  case  she 
wished  to  retain  the  title  of  queen,  consent  to 
reside  in  England.  Chastelherault,  on  the  con- 
trary, fearing  the  intrigues  of  Murray  and  the 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


241 


pretensions  of  the  house  of  Lennox,  wished  that 
the  crown  should  be  restored  to  Mary,  that  the 
prince  should  be  educated  under  the  care  of 
Elizabeth,  and  that  in  the  interim  the  govern- 
ment should  be  administered  by  a  council  or 
committee  of  noblemen,  in  which  every  man 
should  have  that  place  which  became  his  rank. 
This  was  reserving  the  first  place  for  himself, 
which  caused  the  Earl  of  Sussex  to  remark,  that 
all  these  men  occupied  themselves  very  little 
about  the  queen  and  the  prince,  her  son,  but 
they  thought  much  of  their  own  interests. 

Maitland  was  commissioned  by  Murray  to 
prevail  on  Mary  to  accede  to  his  terms.  He  first 
assured  the  queen  that  he  had  only  repaired  to 
York  to  serve  her ;  he  then  endeavored  to  make 
her  sensible  of  the  advantages  of  a  compromise. 
The  complaisant  Maitland  afterwards  suggested 
to  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  on  behalf  of  the  regent, 
a  marriage  with  Mary,  assuring  him  in  private 
that  she  was  entirely  innocent.  He  also  inti- 
mated that  a  prompt  arrangement  would  prevent 
the  ministers  from  producing  the  defamatory 
documents.  Lastly,  he  attempted  to  persuade 
the  Bishop  of  Ross,  that  if  Mary  would  confirm 
the  abdication  made  at  Lochleven,  and  marry 
21 


\ 


242 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  the  Queen  of  England 
would  reinstate  her  on  the  throne. 

The  ministers  were  fully  acquainted  with  the 
state  of  the  conferences  at  York,  the  increasing 
embarrassment  of  Murray,  as  the  moment  ap- 
proached to  prefer  the  charges,  the  project  of  the 
Duke  of  Norfolk's  marriage,  and  the  multiplied 
intrigues  of  Maitland.  This  determined  Cecil, 
instead  of  sending  Murray  a  direct  reply,  to 
remove  the  conference  to  Westminster,  that  he 
might  manage  it  to  his  liking  by  his  immediate 
action.  Under  pretence  that  the  points  referred 
to  in  the  discussion  could  not  be  elucidated  by 
letter,  Cecil  required  two  commissioners  from 
each  party,  accompanied  by  Sir  Ralph  Sadler, 
to  repair  to  Westminster,  that  the  queen  might 
receive  the  necessary  information  by  word  of 
mouth.    Thus  closed  the  York  conferences. 

Murray  had  obtained  leave  to  follow  his  com- 
missioners to  London,  and  he  was  even  admitted 
to  the  presence  of  Elizabeth.  This  was  an  un- 
worthy violation  of  promises  already  made ; 
Mary  also,  who  had  hoped  until  now,  saw  a 
mysterious  plot  devised  for  her  ruin.  She  wrote 
to  her  commissioners  to  require  of  the  Queen  of 
England  that  she  might  be  confronted  with  her 
accuser  in  the  presence  of  all  the  nobility  and 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


243 


foreign  ambassadors ;  and  if  so  equitable  a  re- 
quest was  refused,  they  were  enjoined  to  declare 
that  their  powers  were  withdrawn.  The  unfor- 
tunate Mary  divined  too  well  that  the  scandalous 
partiality  of  the  government  for  Murray  would 
end  by  giving  the  fatal  stroke  to  her  rights. 
The  infamous  Cecil  promised  Murray  that  the 
Queen  of  Scotland  should  never  recover  her 
authority,  and  that,  if  he  commenced  his  suit, 
judgment  would  be  pronounced  in  his  favor. 

Thus  encouraged,  Murray  brought  forward  his 
charge,  according  to  which  Mary  conceived, 
counselled,  and  ordered  her  husband  to  be  assas- 
sinated, and  afterwards  her  son,  so  as  to  place 
the  crown  upon  the  head  of  the  murderer,  (1st 
of  December.)  Mary's  commissioners  then  re- 
quested of  the  queen,  since  she  had  admitted 
Murray  into  her  presence,  to  give  an  audience 
to  the  Queen  of  Scots,  that  she  might  prove 
her  innocence.  The  virgin  Elizabeth  answered, 
coldly,  that  this  demand  would  require  mature 
and  grave  reflection.  When  we  write  or  read 
the  recital  of  so  many  acts  of  injustice,  duplicity, 
and  perfidy,  it  is  consoling  to  think  that  there 
exists  a  God,  a  rewarder  and  an  avenger.  An 
Elizabeth,  because  she  is  a  queen  ;  a  Cecil,  be- 
cause he  is  the  minister  of  this  impious  queen ; 


244 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


a  Murray,  a  Morton,  a  Maitland,  because  they 
are  in  power  —  may  escape  the  justice  of  men  ; 
and  their  crimes  will  not  be  atoned  for  after- 
wards !  and  their  noble  victim,  offering  to  Heav- 
en the  sacrifice  of  her  afflictions,  will  find  after 
her  but  nought !  and  her  insensible  ashes  will 
mingle  with  the  insensible  ashes  of  her  execu- 
tioners !  O,  no !  that  will  not  be ;  God,  the 
avenger.  Eternity,  are  there :  I  feel  them  in  my 
heart. 

Mary's  commissioners  fulfilled  their  mission 
with  courage  and  perseverance,  but  their  efforts 
were  fruitless.  Then,  by  the  advice  of  Chastel- 
herault  and  the  French  and  Spanish  ambassa- 
dors, they  declared  the  conference  dissolved.  But 
Cecil  refused  to  accept  their  declaration,  on  the 
ground  that  they  had  misunderstood  the  queen's 
answ^er.  Not  to  create  difficulties,  the  commis- 
sioners rectified  what  Cecil  termed  inaccuracy ; 
but  three  days  had  elapsed,  and  during  the  inter- 
val of  the  6th  to  the  9th  of  December,  Murray 
had  laid  before  the  commissioners  the  pretended 
papers.  Cecil  immediately  summoned  the  lead- 
ers of  the  English  nobility,  that  they  might  per- 
form their  part  by  the  letters  produced  by  Murray. 
When  these  papers  had  been  sufficiently  ex- 
amined, Cecil  did  not  ask  the  English  lords  to 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


245 


declare  their  opinion  or  pronounce  on  the  authen- 
ticity of  these  writings.  They  were  merely  told 
that  Mary  had  demanded  an  audience  with  Eliza- 
beth to  reply  to  the  charge  ;  but  he  added,  that 
Elizabeth  feared  that  her  modesty  —  what  mock- 
ery !  —  would  suffer  from  such  an  interview. 
No  one  durst  express  their  disapprobation,  and 
Mary's  commissioners  were  informed  that,  under 
the  present  circumstances,  nothing  but  a  glorious 
justification  could  save  their  mistress  from  in- 
famy ;  but  that  this  justification  could  not  take 
place  before  a  maiden  queen ! 

It  does  not  appear  to  have  ever  been  Cecil's 
intention  to  obtain  a  final  decision.  He  only 
wished  to  get  possession  of  the  letters  produced, 
that  Mary,  aware  that  their  publication  or  sup- 
pression depended  upon  Elizabeth,  would  yield 
more  easily  to  what  he  required  of  her;  but 
Mary's  resolution  disconcerted  Cecil  and  his 
associates.  She  demanded  that  copies  of  the 
papers  should  be  given  to  her  commissioners, 
that  she  might  examine  them,  and  even  promised 
to  name  among  her  accusers  two  of  the  murder- 
ers of  her  husband,  (Morton  and  Maitland,)  pro- 
vided she  was  allowed  access  to  Elizabeth.  The 
Bishop  of  Ross  having  obtained  an  audience  from 
the  latter,  (7th  of  January,  1569,)  to  obtain  a 
21* 


246 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


copy  of  the  papers,  Elizabeth  informed  him  that 
Mary  would  do  well  to  resign  her  crown,  and 
peaceably  end  her  days  in  England.  The  bishop 
replied,  that  his  mistress  would  not  consent  to 
this  sacrifice ;  but  Elizabeth  persisted  in  her  re- 
fusal, and  the  interview  terminated.  Murray  and 
his  associates  departed  for  Scotland,  bearing  a 
declaration,  that  as  nothing  could  be  proved 
against  them  which  could  sully  their  reputation 
or  honor,  so  no  sufficient  reason  had  been  given 
why  Elizabeth  should  entertain  any  evil  opinion 
of  the  conduct  of  the  queen,  her  good  sister. 
The  Bishop  of  Ross  then  demanded  that  his  mis- 
tress be  treated  with  the  same  courtesy  that  had 
been  extended  to  Murray ;  if  she  was  to  be  de- 
tained a  captive  in  England,  he  wished  to  protest 
in  her  name  against  the  validity  of  any  act  which 
should  be  subscribed  by  her  whilst  she  was  under 
restraint. 

Mary's  enemies  contend  that  if  at  the  York 
conference  Mary  had  maintained  a  decided 
superiority  over  her  accusers,  she  yielded  this 
advantage  at  Westminster,  by  refusing  to  offer 
any  defence  except  before  the  queen.  Cecil  had 
said  that  Mary  would  not  have  so  earnestly  de- 
manded admittance  to  the  presence  of  Elizabeth, 
had  she  not  known  that  her  request  would  be 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


247 


refused.  To  this  objection  it  is  triumphantly 
answered  that  Mary  only  claimed  what  was  just 
and  reasonable  ;  that  it  was  more  than  strange 
that  she  was  confined  two  hundred  miles  from 
the  place  of  trial,  whilst  Murray  was  present,  and 
obtained  from  the  queen  as  many  private  audi- 
ences as  he  requested.  It  is  certain  that  Cecil, 
no  longer  knowing  to  what  means  to  recur,  broke 
up  the  conference  without  concluding  any  thing, 
and  that  he  always  evaded  the  request  which 
Mary  made  for  a  copy  of  the  papers. 

It  is  recollected  that  Maitland  had  spoken  to 
Mary  of  a  mamage  with  the  Duke  of  Norfolk. 
The  duke,  whether  he  feared  incurring  the  wrath 
of  Elizabeth,  or  that  he  attached  very  little  im- 
portance to  Maitland's  proposition,  made  no 
advances ;  but  Murray,  before  his  departure,  re- 
newed this  intrigue.  He  sent  Robert  Melville 
to  his  sister,  and  waited  in  person  on  the  duke. 
The  only  means,  he  said,  of  securing  the  tran- 
quillity of  the  two  kingdoms,  was  the  marriage 
of  the  Queen  of  Scots  with  a  Protestant  lord,  and 
no  other  could  so  easily  gain  the  assent  of  all 
parties  as  the  duke.  Norfolk  answered,  that  he 
could  not  determine  without  consulting  his  sov- 
ereign ;  Mary,  that  she  would  give  no  answer 
whilst  she  remained  a  captive.    If  her  liberty  and 


248 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


authority  were  restored  to  her,  she  would  listen 
to  his  advice,  and  always  prove  a  good  sister. 

It  must  not  be  imagined  that  Murray  acted  on 
this  occasion  for  his  sister's  interest;  it  was  his 
own.  He  knew  that  the  queen's  lords  had  as- 
sembled on  the  borders,  to  prevent  him  from 
reentering  the  kingdom  ;  and  that  many  English 
lords  of  the  northern  counties  were  leagued  to- 
gether to  intercept  him  in  Yorkshire.  Through 
the  message  of  Robert  Melville,  he  induced  his 
sister  to  believe  that  he  was  eager  to  restore  her 
to  liberty,  and  he  obtained  in  exchange  an  order 
from  her  to  the  Scottish  lords  not  to  oppose  his 
passage.  Mary  was  then  at  Rippon  ;  Elizabeth, 
who  had  permitted  Murray  and  his  accomplices 
to  return  to  Scotland,  should  have  —  to  show 
herself  just,  supposing  that  she  had  the  right  to 
constitute  herself  judge  of  the  Queen  of  Scot- 
land —  allowed  her  the  same  privilege.  But  in- 
stead thereof,  and  as  if  Mary  had  been  her  subject, 
and  guilty  towards  her,  Elizabeth  redoubled  her 
severity.  Not  believing  her  prey  sufficiently 
guarded,  she  had  her  transferred  to  the  heart  of 
England,  placed  her  at  first  under  the  care  of  the 
Earl  of  Shrewsbury,  transported  her  from  castle 
to  castle,  and  sent  her  later  to  Tutbury,  where 
she  was  imprisoned  in  a  house  built  of  wood, 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


249 


originally  designed  for  a  hunting  seat,  and  sur- 
rounded by  a  lofty  wall,  which  in  a  great  meas- 
ure excluded  the  sun.* 

A  description  of  this  residence  is  given  in  one 
of  Mary's  letters,  published  in  the  Life  of  Lord 
Egerton.  She  had  but  two  small  rooms  [petites 
chambrettes)  for  herself  and  maids ;  the  walls  were 
pierced  with  fissures,  the  plaster  having  in  many 
places  separated  from  the  timber;  and  though 
they  intrenched  themselves  behind  screens,  cur- 
tains, and  blankets,  they  were  always  ill  with 
colds.  She  had  no  place  where  she  could  walk 
under  cover  in  the  house ;  and  no  rooms,  to 
which  she  could  retire,  but  two  little  closets, 
(petits  trous,)  about  seven  feet  square,  looking  on 
the  w^all.  The  house  was  crowded  with  guards, 
valets,  &c.,  without  any  convenience  for.  so  nu- 
merous a  family,  and  the  privies  under  her  win- 
dow exhaled  an  infectious  odor  which  could  not 
be  removed. 

It  was  from  this  horrible  abode  that  she  wrote 
many  letters  to  Elizabeth,  which,  if  she  had  not 
carried  egotism  so  far  as  to  render  her  a  stranger 
to  every  sentiment  of  humanity,  would  have 
moved  her  to  compassion,  and  caused  her  to  re- 
gret her  past  severity.    Foreign  powers  com- 

*  See  Appendix,  No.  10. 


350 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


plained;  but  Elizabeth  answered,  that  she  should 
be  praised  for  her  indulgence,  instead  of  being 
blamed  for  severity ;  for  she  had,  to  Mary^s  inter- 
est,  suppressed  documents  which  would  have 
covered  her  with  everlasting  infamy. 

Meanwhile,  several  English  lords,  who  had 
approved  of  the  plan  of  a  marriage  between 
Mary  and  Norfolk,  resumed  the  project,  and 
finally  obtained  the  duke's  consent;  he  had  at 
first  obstinately  refused,  because  he  feared  the 
vindictive  Elizabeth.  When  the  question  of  the 
marriage  was  first  me'ntioned,  Elizabeth  spoke  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  make  him  understand  that 
it  could  not  take  place  without  her  consent ;  and 
the  duke  answered  as  lightly,  that  he  v/ould  never 
marry  a  woman  whose  husband  cannot  sleep 
securely  on  his  pilloiv.  Nevertheless,  as  on  one 
side  this  union  flattered  his  vanity,  and  on  the 
other  he  noticed  among  the  lords  who  urged  him 
the  Earl  of  Leicester  and  the  famous  Throck- 
morton, he  gave  his  unqualified  consent. 

A  letter,  signed  by  Norfolk  and  the  Earls  of 
Leicester,  Arundel,  and  Pembroke,  Avas  sent  to 
the  Queen  of  Scotland,  in  which  they  proposed 
restoring  her  to  her  throne,  and  recognizing  her 
rights  to  the  succession  in  England,  on  condition 
that  she  would  never  impugn  the  right  of  EUza- 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


251 


beth,  or  her  direct  heirs  ;  that  she  would  conclude 
a  perpetual  league,  offensive  and  defensive,  with 
England ;  that  she  would  pardon  her  revolted 
subjects,  and  marry  the  Duke  of  Norfolk.  Mary 
answered,  that  she  would  willingly  agree  to  every 
thing,  provided  they  would  obtain  the  queen's 
consent  to  the  marriage ;  for  by  marrying  Darn- 
ley  against  the  Queen  of  England's  wish,  she 
had  been  constantly  unhappy. 

When  the  liberation  of  Mary  was  next  dis- 
cussed in  the  English  cabinet,  the  four  lords  pro- 
posed the  articles  which  had  been  submitted  by 
them  to  Mary ;  but  they  suppressed  the  one  re- 
specting the  marriage,  until  Maitland,  who  was 
to  disclose  the  project  to  Elizabeth,  should  arrive 
from  Scotland.  The  plan  was  generally  ap- 
proved; Cecil  formally  promised  not  to  oppose 
it,  although  he  nevertheless  refused  to  second  it. 
Lords  Boyd  and  Wood  were  sent  to  Scotland, 
the  former  to  obtain  the  consent  of  the  queen^s 
lords,  the  latter  that  of  Murray,  who,  in  reality, 
by  no  means  desired  the  success  of  a  plan  which 
would  deprive  him  of  the  regency.  Norfolk  now 
showed  as  much  eagerness  as  he  had  previously 
shown  indifference ;  he  commenced  an  active  but 
secret  correspondence  with  Mary,  through  the 
agency  of  the  Bishop  of  Ross,  expecting  that 


252 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


Elizabeth  would  know  nothing  of  what  was 
passing.  He  was  deceived  :  the  treacherous 
Wood  revealed  all  to  Elizabeth  before  his  de- 
parture. On  the  other  hand,  Bothwell  remitted 
from  Denmark  his  consent  to  a  divorce ;  the 
Kings  of  France  and  Spain,  as  likewise  the  Eng- 
lish nobility,  approved  of  every  thing;  nothing 
remained  but  that  the  articles  should  be  ratified 
by  the  regent  and  Elizabeth. 

Murray  assembled  the  Scottish  Parliament, 
and  while  he  affected  to  speak  in  favor  of  Mary's 
liberation,  employed  all  his  influence  to  prevent 
it.  Parliament  would  not  even  consent  to  the 
appointment  of  a  committee  to  examine  the  ques- 
tion of  the  validity  or  nullity  of  Bothwell's  mar- 
riage. Maitland,  who  did  not  doubt  the  perfidy 
of  the  regent,  then  feared  for  himself,  and  deemed 
it  prudent  to  seek  an  asylum  with  his  friend,  the 
Earl  of  Athol.  Murray  did  not  lose  a  moment 
in  transmitting  to  Elizabeth  the  decision  of  the 
Scottish  Parliament.  He  informed  her  by  letter 
that  the  Scots  would  never  consent  to  receive 
Mary.  His  messenger  found  Elizabeth  at  Farn- 
ham,  (13th  of  August,)  and  the  news  she  received 
rendered  her  doubly  discontented ;  at  first,  be- 
cause she  was  tired  of  having  Mary  on  her  hands, 
and  would  fain  allow  her  to  depart  for  Scotland, 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


253 


provided  she  had  nothing  to  fear  for  herself; 
then,  because  she  perceived  by  Mun-ay's  letter 
that  the  project  of  Norfolk's  marriage  had  been 
concealed  from  her. 

As  the  contents  of  the  message  had  transpired, 
Leicester  was  urgently  pressed  to  explain  the 
whole  matter  to  Elizabeth,  who,  on  leaving  the 
table,  advised  Norfolk  to  beioare  on  what  pillow 
he  should  rest  his  head.  This  expression  was  not 
reassuring.  Leicester  was  urged  anew ;  he  still 
promised,  yet  delayed.  It  was  only  after  some 
days  that,  fearing  for  his  own  security,  he  im- 
agined the  melodramatic  scene  by  which  his 
pardon  would  be  assured. 

The  court  having  proceeded  from  Farnham  to 
Tichfield,  Leicester  kept  his  bed,  and  the  queen 
was  informed  that  he  was  dangerously  ill.  The 
virgin  queen  hastened  to  visit  him,  and  as  she 
sat  by  his  bedside,  the  sick  man,  in  a  feeble  and 
trembling  voice,  interrupted  by  sobs,  informed 
her  that,  before  dying,  he  wished  to  ask  pardon 
for  the  ingratitude  and  disloyalty  he  was  guilty 
of,  in  having  wished  to  marry  her  rival  to  one  of 
her  subjects.  Leicester,  as  he  expected,  easily 
obtained  pardon,  and  survived.  Norfolk  was 
severely  reprimanded,  and  forbidden,  under  pen- 
alty of  treason,  ever  more  to  entertain  the  project. 


254 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


The  duke  cheerfully  assented ;  but  perceiving  that 
the  courtiers,  especially  Leicester,  avoided  him, 
he  set  out  for  his  castle  of  Kenninghall,  in  Nor- 
folk. The  queen,  who  suspected  him  of  treach- 
ery, peremptorily  ordered  him  to  return  without 
delay. 

The  regent,  in  the  interim,  wishing  to  appre- 
nend  Maitland  and  baffle  his  intrigues  in  Mary's 
favor,  invited  him  to  attend  a  council  at  Stirling. 
An  order  was  given  for  his  arrest,  and  the  sus- 
picious, crafty  Maitland  was  insnared.  Murray 
appointed  a  day  for  his  trial ;  he  wished  to  in- 
timidate and  compel  him  to  become  Norfolk's 
accuser.  Maitland  refused,  and  Murray  did  not 
hesitate  to  assume  the  character  which  the  for- 
mer rejected  at  the  peril  of  his  life.  He  sent 
the  duke's  letters  to  Elizabeth,  protesting  that 
he  had  only  appeared  to  assent  to  the  project 
through  motives  of  personal  safety.  These  vile 
manoeuvres  caused  the  Duke  of  Chastelherault 
to  say,  "  Murray  aims  higher  than  is  supposed  ; 
he  desires  the  crown.  May  Heaven  grant  that  he 
may  find  in  the  path  he  enters  what  so  many 
others  have  found  before  him." 

Norfolk  was  sent  to  the  Tower,  Leicester, 
Arundel,  and  Pembroke,  excluded  from  the  royal 
presence,  and  the  Bishop  of  Ross,  Lord  Lumley, 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


255 


and  some  others,  placed  under  arrest.  The  prose- 
cution was  no  less  vigorously  carried  on  than  if 
it  concerned  a  direct  outrage  against  the  person 
of  Elizabeth ;  but  the  customary  means  *  of  ob- 
taining proofs  or  confessions  only  produced  the 
conviction,  that  the  proceedings  of  the  accused 
might  have  offended  the  susceptibility  of  the 
Queen  of  England,  but  that  there  was  not  a 
shadow  of  disloyalty  or  treason  in  them.  Seri- 
ous fears,  arising  from  the  situation  of  the 
northern  counties,  distracted  the  attention  of 
Elizabeth  and  her  ministers  from  a  deed  which 
would  have  been  performed  as  they  had  originally 
agreed,  to  devote  it  wholly  to  the  insurrection 
which  had  broken  out  in  the  remote  provinces. 

The  Queen  of  Scots  had  friends  in  Northum- 
berland and  the  neighboring  counties.  The  spec- 
tacle of  a  young  princess,  the  victim  of  her 
confidence  in  the  promises  of  Elizabeth,  and  the 
captive  of  her  who  should  have  been  her  pro- 
tectress, deeply  moved  generous  men.  The 
charms  of  her  conversation,  and  the  elegance 

*  Questions  were  proposed  to  each  individual  in  private,  and  he 
was  informed  that  his  only  hope  of  mercy  depended  on  the  truth  of 
his  replies.  These  confessions  were  afterwards  compared,  discrepan- 
cies explained,  and  new  questions  suggested.  Thus  every  suspicious 
circumstance  was  sifted,  and  the  innocence  or  guilt  of  the  parties  de- 
termined upon. 


256 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


and  sweetness  of  her  manners,  added  necessarily 
to  the  interest  which  her  misfortunes  inspired. 
All  those  who,  even  without  knowing  her,  con- 
tended that  her  right  to  the  English  throne  was 
legitimate,  detested  the  selfish  policy  which 
sought  to  weaken  that  right  by  the  most  odious 
calumny ;  Catholics,  in  fine,  regarded  her  as  a  * 
martyr,  suffering  for  her  attachment  to  the  faith 
of  her  fathers.  A  great  number  of  English  lords 
had  offered  her  their  services ;  these  she  had 
refused  by  the  advice  of  Norfolk.  But  the  dis- 
grace of  that  lord  extinguished  all  her  hopes,  and 
when  Huntingdon  and  Hereford,  her  declared 
enemies,  were  appointed  her  jailers,  she  was  agi- 
tated with  violent  apprehensions  for  her  life. 
She  despatched  secret  messages  to  the  Earl  of 
Westmoreland,  the  brother-in-law  of  Norfolk, 
and  to  the  Earl  of  Northumberland,  who  had 
been  appointed  by  the  council ;  and  through 
these  she  informed  of  her  situation  all  those 
who  had  formerly  tendered  their  services  to  her. 
The  Earl  of  Sussex  had  communicated  to  the 
two  former  the  alarms  he  had  felt  respecting  the 
moral  situation  of  the  northern  counties,  and 
they  had  succeeded  by  their  answers  in  dissi- 
pating his  suspicions.  Some  imprudent  acts 
and  untimely  demonstrations  of  Mary's  friends 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


257 


revived  their  suspicions ;  and  when  Sussex  had 
written  to  the  two  earls  to  repair  to  York,  and 
was  refused  by  them,  suspicion  became  certainty. 

The  two  earls,  notified  by  the  order  of  Sus- 
sex that  their  conduct  was  suspected,  believed 
they  would  not  be  able  to  escape  the  danger 
threatened  by  the  court  without  taking  up  arms 
against  it.  At  Branspeth  Castle  they  were  joined 
by  some  hundreds  of  followers,  and  on  the  16th 
of  November  unfurled  their  banner.  The  design 
of  the  insurgents  was  to  proceed  to  Tutbury, 
to  liberate  the  Queen  of  Scotland,  and  to  compel 
Elizabeth  to  recognize  her  as  presumptive  heir.  A 
proclamation  was  addressed  to  Catholics,  calling 
on  them  to  obtain  redress  for  their  grievances, 
restore  the  ancient  worship,  and  protect  the  no- 
bility of  the  realm  from  utter  ruin.  The  two 
earls  expected  much  from  this  proclamation ;  for, 
according  to  Sadler,  whom  we  cannot  suspect, 
there  were  not  in  all  this  country  ten  gentlemen 
sincerely  attached  to  reform.  Nevertheless,  this 
proclamation  had  very  little  effect ;  the  Catholics 
—  for  what  reason  is  unknown  — ranging  them- 
selves under  the  standard  of  Sussex.  When  the 
insurgents  arrived  at  Clifford,  they  held  a  coun- 
cil of  war.  The  Spanish  ambassador  had  in- 
formed them  that  they  must  not  expect  assistance 
22* 


258 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


from  his  master,  but  that  they  might,  neverthe- 
less, apply  directly  to  the  Duke  of  Alva,  in 
Flanders.  The  insurgents  then  abandoned  their 
design  of  liberating  the  Queen  of  Scots,  and 
with  seven  thousand  men  hastened  back  to 
Raby  Castle.  From  thence  they  took  possession 
of  Hartlepool,  in  order  to  have  free  communica- 
tion with  the  Spanish  Netherlands ;  but  the 
Duke  of  Alva  excused  himself  under  various 
pretexts  from  sending  the  assistance  demanded 
of  him,  and  it  even  appears  that  he  hindered 
Philip  11.  from  interfering.  On  the  27th  of  the 
same  month,  the  Queen  of  Scots  was  transferred 
from  Tutbury  to  Coventry. 

The  indifference  of  the  Catholics  to  the  cause 
of  the  insurgents,  and  the  refusal  of  the  Duke 
of  Alva,  disconcerted  the  two  earls,  who  could 
only  count  upon  their  own  resources  :  even  these 
resources  would  soon  fail  them,  for  desertion 
each  day  thinned  their  ranks.  Nevertheless,  Sus- 
sex feared  to  attack  them,  because  he  had  but 
little  confidence  in  his  troops,  which  were  com- 
posed almost  wholly  of  Catholics.  He  therefore 
waited  for  the  arrival  of  the  Earl  of  Warwick, 
who  headed  an  army  of  twelve  thousand  men. 
At  the  approach  of  the  royal  army,  the  insur- 
gents lost  all  confidence,  and  hastily  retreated 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


259 


to  Hexham,  where  the  infantry  dispersed.  The 
cavalry,  numbering  about  five  hundred  men, 
crossed  into  Scotland  through  Liddisdale.  Eliz- 
abeth demanded  the  surrender  of  the  fugitives, 
but  the  Scots  on  the  frontier  braved  the  threats 
of  Elizabeth  and  the  orders  of  Murray.  A  trai- 
tor, —  the  only  one,  —  Hector  Graeme,  of  Harlow, 
delivered  up  the  Earl  of  Northumberland  to 
Murray,  who  confined  him  in  the  Castle  of 
Lochleven,  and  offered  Elizabeth,  it  is  said,  to 
exchange  him  for  his  sister.  The  remonstrances 
of  the  foreign  ambassadors,  prompted  by  the 
Bishop  of  Ross,  prevented  this  shameful  exchange, 
in  which  Elizabeth  and  Murray  would  have  re- 
ciprocally furnished  a  victim.  Westmoreland, 
and  all  the  other  chiefs  of  the  insurgents,  who 
were  at  first  saved  by  the  courageous  resistance 
of  the  frontier  clans,  escaped  to  the  continent. 

Elizabeth's  vengeance  was  terrible  ;  all  those 
who  could  be  accused  of  having  taken  part  in 
the  insurrection  were  despoiled  of  their  property, 
tortured,  and  put  to  death.  Some  were  pardoned 
after  a  long  captivity,  on  taking  the  oath  of  su- 
premacy.* When  all  had  been  punished,  Eliza- 
beth published  a  proclamation,  in  which  she  is 

*  The  oath  by  which  the  King  or  Queen  of  England  was  recognized 
as  the  supreme  head  of  the  church  of  England. 


260 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


made  to  say,  that  she  "  did  not  mean  to  molest 
any  one  for  religious  opinions,  so  long  as  those 
opinions  did  not  conflict  with  the  laws  of  the 
realm,  which  enforced  the  frequentation  of  divine 
service  in  the  ordinary  churches,^'' 

The  failure  of  the  two  earls  had  not  discour- 
aged all  of  Mary's  friends.  One  of  the  most 
zealous  for  her  deliverance  was  Leonard  Dacres, 
head  of  the  noble  family  of  the  Dacres  of  Gillis- 
land.  At  the  commencement  of  the  rebellion 
he  had  left  the  court  to  raise  men,  avowedly  for 
the  service  of  Elizabeth,  but  actually  to  join  the 
insurgents.  When  he  perceived  their  cause  des- 
perate, he  fell  upon  their  rear  guard,  made  a 
number  of  prisoners,  and  thus  obtained  among 
his  neighbors  the  reputation  of  a  devoted  loyal- 
ist. But  the  ministers  were  not  duped  by  his 
conduct,  and  the  Earl  of  Sussex  was  ordered  to 
arrest  him  on  a  charge  of  high  treason,  (Janu- 
ary, 1570.) 

Leonard  Dacres  was  upon  his  guard ;  he  be- 
came aware  of  his  pursuit,  and  within  a  month 
we  find  him  at  the  head  of  a  numerous  body  of 
troops,  three  thousand  borderers  having  ranged 
themselves  under  his  banner.*  An  engagement 
took  place  on  the  banks  of  the  Gelt  on  the  22d 

*  The  banner  of  Dacres  was  covered  with  scallop  shells. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


261 


of  February,  between  Dacres's  forces  and  the 
royal  army.  Leonard  did  not  evince  less  ability 
than  courage,  but  he  was  obliged  to  yield  to 
much  superior  forces;  he  escaped  to  Scotland, 
from  whence  he  proceeded  to  Flanders. 

A  month  previous  the  Scottish  regent  had 
died,  and  according  to  the  unchristian-like  but 
partly  excusable  wish  of  the  Duke  of  Chastel- 
herault,  Providence  had  sent  him  what  so  many 
others  had  met  in  the  same  career  of  usurpation. 
The  regent  had  confiscated  the  property  of  many 
members  of  the  Hamilton  family.  One  of  them, 
Hamilton  of  Bothwellhaugh,  was  despoiled,  not 
only  of  his  own  domains,  but  also,  by  an  atro- 
cious act  of  injustice,  of  what  formed  his  wife's 
dower.  The  latter  was  given  to  a  favorite  of 
Murray,  and  the  new  proprietor,  presenting  him- 
self unexpectedly  at  the  house  of  the  woman, 
drove  her  ignominiously  forth,  without  giving  her 
time  to  assume  her  apparel.  This  treatment 
made  such  an  impression  upon  this  unfortunate 
victim  that  she  lost  her  reason,  and  died  in  a 
very  short  time  afterwards.  Her  husband  swore 
that  he  would  be  revenged,  not  upon  ths  favorite, 
but  on  Murray  himself.  He  arranged  his  meas- 
ures so  well,  that  one  day,  as  the  regent  was 
passing  through  the  town  of  Linlithgow,  he  en- 


1^69  LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 

tered  a  house  which  was  unoccupied  at  the  time, 
and  shot  him  with  a  carabine.  The  regent's  suite 
advanced  to  the  house  from  which  the  shot  was 
fired  ;  but,  before  they  had  forced  an  entrance, 
the  murderer  had  mounted  a  race  horse  which  he 
had  ready  near  by,  and  gained  the  road.  He  was 
pursued,  but  not  overtaken  ;  the  regent  died  dur- 
ing the  night.* 

The  queen's  followers  hoped  for  a  moment ; 
Chastelherault  and  the  Earls  of  Argyle  and  Hunt- 
ley assumed  the  government  in  the  queen's  name. 
Kirkaldy,  who,  as  well  as  Maitland,  had  definitely 
joined  Mary's  party,  admitted  them  into  Edin- 
burgh, of  which  place  he  held  the  command. 
This  triumph  was  of  short  duration  ;  Elizabeth, 
under  pretence  of  punishing  the  frontier  clans, 
who  had  afforded  an  asylum  to  the  state  rebels,  — 
she  who  had  so  often  given  an  asylum  to  the 
Scottish  rebels,  —  ordered  two  armies  to  set  out  j 
one  commanded  by  Sussex,  the  other  by  Lord 
Scroop.    Morton,  for  w^hom  Heaven  reserved 

*  Robertson  of  Dalmeny  thus  sums  up  Murray's  character: 
"Murray,  who  practised  more  deeply  in  hypocrisy  than  perhaps  any 
man  that  has  lived  ;  whose  mind  was  steeled  equally  against  human- 
ity, honor,  and  truth ;  who  walked  in  darkness ;  who  smiled  in  the 
midst  of  iniquity  ;  and  who  covered  all  his  actions  with  the  cloak  of 
religion,  is  to  be  handed  down  as  an  impostor  of  the  first  magnitude 
to  all  future  times." 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


263 


the  reward  so  well  merited  by  his  crimes,  joined 
the  foreign  invaders  with  all  Murray's  followers, 
and  a  great  part  of  Scotland  was  overrun,  fire 
and  sword  in  hand.  The  Bishop  of  Ross  and 
the  French  ambassador  induced  Elizabeth  to 
recall  her  troops ;  she  even  appeared  to  waver 
between  the  choice  of  a  successor  to  Murray 
and  the  restoration  of  Mary  to  her  throne.  But 
she  had  offered  too  many  injuries  *  to  Mary  not 
to  fear  that  if  she  was  restored  to  liberty,  she 
would  seek  to  be  revenged,  and  that,  assisted  by 
France  and  Spain,  she  would  succeed ;  and  as 
if  she  had  the  right  to  command  in  Scotland, 
she  notified  the  Scots  to  elect  a  regent  in  the 
place  of  Murray.  Lennox,  the  grandfather  of 
the  prince,  was  chosen. 

The  Queen  of  England  was  probably  decided 
by  the  publication  of  a  bull  of  Pope  Pius  V  ,  in 
the  beginning  of  the  month  of  May.  The  bull 
declared  her  guilty  of  heresy,  deprived  her  of  her 
pretended  rights  to  the  crown,  and  absolved  the 
English  from  the  oath  of  allegiance.  A  copy  of 
it  was  aflfixed  during  the  night  to  the  gate  of  the 
Bishop  of  London's  residence,  by  a  gentleman 
named  Felton,  who  was  executed  shortly  after ; 

*    Forgiveness  to  the  injiired  doth  belong  ; 
They  never  pardon  who  commit  the  wrong." 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 

and  although  the  queen  affected  to  turn  the 
pope's  decree  into  ridicule,  it  proved  the  source 
of  considerable  alarm,  because  she  believed  its 
execution  was  connected  with  some  plan  of  for- 
eign invasion.  Under  these  circumstances,  her 
hatred  and  jealousy  could  but  increase  against 
the  innocent  Mary. 


CHAPTER  X. 

NEGOTIATIONS   WITH    MARY.  —  TROUBLES    IN   SCOTLAND. — EXE- 
CUTION OF  NORFOLK. 

Meanwhile,  Mary  by  her  pressing  solicita- 
tions, her  English  friends  by  their  entreaties,  and 
the  Kings  of  France  and  Spain  by  their  remon- 
strances, finally  obtained  from  Elizabeth  (Sep- 
tember 1570)  a  promise  to  name  the  conditions 
on  which  she  would  liberate  her  captive.  Nego- 
tiations for  this  purpose  were  commenced  by  the 
English  ministers  with  the  Queen  of  Scotland. 
The  followers  of  the  latter  were  the  more  eager 
to  obtain  her  liberty  at  any  price,  because  they 
were  aware  that  there  existed  among  her  coun- 
sellors a  powerful  party,  who  declared  the  murder 
of  the  Queen  of  Scotland  the  only  means  of 


LIFE   OF  MARV  STUART. 


265 


restoring  peace  to  England.  This  means  was 
rejected  by  Elizabeth,  not  through  motives  of 
humanity,  for  she  ardently  desired  the  death  of 
Mary,  but  through  decency,  that  it  might  not  be 
said  she  had  shed  the  blood  of  her  nearest  rela- 
tion. Hence  she  offered  the  regent,  Lennox,  to 
deliver  Mary  to  him,  provided  he  would  engage 
that  she  should  be  made  way  with ;  and  hence 
the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury  was  ordered  to  put  her 
to  death  on  the  first  attempt  her  friends  should 
make  to  rescue  her. 

Cecil  and  Maitland  repaired  to  Chatsworth, 
where  Mary  was  then  confined,  and  during  the 
negotiation,  which  continued  a  fortnight,  Mary 
proved  herself  a  match  for  these  wily  statesmen. 
Nevertheless,  the  so  natural  desire  of  regaining 
her  liberty  induced  her  to  subscribe  to  all  their 
demands,  except  what  concerned  her  religious 
principles.  The  consent  of  the  Scots  was  alone 
necessary  :  the  king's  lords,  with  Morton  at  their 
head,  anived  about  the  middle  of  February, 
(1571,)  and  contended  before  Elizabeth  that  sub- 
jects had  the  right  to  depose  illegitimate  or  im- 
moral sovereigns ;  an  uncourtly  doctrine,  to  which 
she  listened  with  bad  enough  grace,  and  which 
did  not  incline  her  in  their  favor.  The  discussion 
which  took  place  a  month  after  with  the  queen's 
23 


266 


LIFE  OF   MARY  STUART. 


lords  referred  only  to  the  securities  to  be  given 
by  the  Queen  of  Scots  on  reascending  the 
throne. 

Elizabeth,  who  had  appeared  interested  in 
terminating  this  affair  promptly,  resumed  her 
usual  irresolution  at  the  moment  for  action. 
She  hesitated  so  long,  that  no  one  knew  to  what 
her  subterfuges  would  lead.  "  Believe  me,"  said 
Leicester  himself,  "  no  one  in  England  can  say 
which  way  it  will  go."  Cecil,  who  had  been 
raised  to  the  peerage,  under  the  title  of  Baron 
Burleigh,  relieved  his  mistress  of  her  embarrass- 
ment. The  commissioners  of  the  king's  lords 
were  recalled,  in  the  name  of  the  prince,  —  later, 
James  VL,  —  under  pretence  that  they  had  not 
sufficient  powers.  This  revocation  was  the  work 
of  Burleigh,  who,  on  the  other  hand,  favored  with 
all  his  influence  the  proposition  of  marriage  made 
to  Elizabeth  in  the  name  of  the  Duke  of  Anjou, 
brother  of  Charles  IX. 

Soon  after  the  separation  of  commissioners, 
Parliament  commenced  its  session.  One  of  the 
first  bills  proposed,  and  which,  after  having 
passed  both  houses,  received  the  royal  sanction, 
declared  it  high  treason  in  any  one  to  claim  a 
right  to  the  crown  during  the  queen's  life ;  or  to 
assert  that  it  belonged  to  any  other  person  than 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


267 


the  queen  ;  or  call  the  queen  a  heretic  or  usurper ; 
or  to  deny  the  right  of  Parliament  to  regulate 
the  order  of  succession  and  the  heritage  of  the 
crown. 

The  death  of  Murray  was  far  from  having 
restored  calm  to  Scotland ;  the  parties,  more  ex- 
asperated than  ever  against  each  other,  since 
Elizabeth  had  recalled  her  troops,  waged  the 
most  fearful  war.  The  soldiers  of  Lennox  sur- 
prised the  Castle  of  Dumbarton,  which  was  con- 
sidered impregnable.  Among  the  prisoners  was 
the  Archbishop  of  St.  Andrew's,  who  had  taken 
refuge  there  from  the  pursuit  of  the  regent's  par- 
tisans: the  prelate  perished  on  a  gibbet.  This 
crime  involved  many  others ;  many  acts  of  vio- 
lence, committed  by  way  of  retaliation,  were 
followed  by  new  massacres.  Even  children,  it  is 
said,  fought  in  the  streets,  with  stones,  sticks,  and 
knives,  for  King  James  or  Queen  Mary.  To 
complete  the  confusion,  each  party  convoked  a 
Parliament ;  the  queen's  at  Edinburgh,  the  king's 
at  Stirling. 

Kirkaldy  formed  the  project  of  terminating,  by 
a  decisive  stroke,  this  direful  contest.  He  con- 
ceived the  plan  of  seizing  Stirling  by  a  coup  de 
main;  and  it  is  presumed  that,  if  he  had  com- 
manded the  expedition  in  person,  he  would  have 


268 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


completely  succeeded ;  he  confided  it  to  Fairny 
Herst,  Scott  of  Buccleuch,  and  Claude  Hamil- 
ton. These  three  chiefs  set  out  with  about  five 
hundred  knights,  and  were  admitted  into  the 
city  at  very  early  morn,  by  a  native  of  Stirling, 
named  Bell.  Detachments  were  immediately 
placed  in  the  houses  occupied  by  the  king's  lords, 
who,  surprised  at  this  sudden  attack,  surrendered 
without  resistance ;  the  Earl  of  Marr  alone  de- 
fended himself  valiantly,  which  gave  the  others 
time  to  rally.  The  regent  Lennox  was  made 
prisoner,  and  Claude  Hamilton  ordered  him  to 
be  executed,  which  order  was  obeyed,  amidst 
cries  of  ^'■Remember  the  archbishop 

Hamilton  and  his  friends  were,  however, 
obliged  to  retire  before  the  superior  forces  which 
had  rallied  around  the  Earl  of  Marr,  who,  on 
account  of  the  services  rendered  by  him,  was 
appointed  regent  of  the  kingdom.  Mary's  parti- 
sans, reduced  to  a  small  number,  established 
themselves  in  Edinburgh,  where  Kirkaldy  con- 
tinued to  command  in  the  queen's  name,  whilst, 
in  the  north,  a  band  of  Highlanders,  under  the 
command  of  Sir  Adam  Gordon,  essayed  defend- 
ing the  interests  she  had  embraced.  Mary's 
cause  was  not  abandoned  in  England,  although 
all  previous  attempts  had  failed.  Parliament, 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


269 


not  content  with  proscribing  hei  pretensions  to 
the  crown,  had  passed  a  bill  which  subjected 
CathoUcs  to  such  conditions,  and  such  severe 
penalties  for  each  infraction  of  them,  that  they 
were  placed  in  the  alternative  of  not  being  able 
to  remain  in  England  without  offence  to  their 
consciences,  or  of  removing  from  it  without 
losing  their  fortunes.  Other  provisos  affected 
those  who  had  filled  posts  during  the  preceding 
reign,  although  they  were  not  Catholics;  the 
spirit  of  discontent  pervaded  the  majority  of  the 
nation.  Harassed  by  the  intolerance  of  the  new 
laws.  Catholics,  suspected  Protestants,  men  de- 
prived of  their  places,  those  whose  property  had 
been  confiscated,  the  discontented  of  all  classes, 
took  the  desperate  resolution  of  defending  their 
interests  at  the  peril  of  their  lives,  rather  than  be 
thrown  into  prison  and  forfeit  their  property  to 
the  queen.  A  leader  was  needed,  and  they  cast 
their  eyes  upon  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  whom  the 
vindictive  Elizabeth  still  detained  in  the  Tower. 

Unfortunately,  one  of  the  Queen  of  Scotland's 
servants,  named  Bailly,  was  arrested  at  Dover,  as 
the  bearer  of  a  packet  of  letters,  some  of  which, 
the  address  excepted,  were  written  in  cipher. 
Lord  Cobham,  to  whom  they  had  been  sent, 
confided  them  for  some  hours  to  the  Bishop  of 
23* 


270 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


Ross,  who  was  adroit  enough  to  substitute  in 
their  place  others,  the  contents  of  which  were 
unimportant.  Bailly,  having  been  examined, 
confessed  what  he  knew  concerning  the  con- 
spiracy ;  he  finished  by  declaring  it  was  the  trea- 
son of  a  certain  Brown,  who  carried  to  the  council 
a  bag  of  money  he  had  received  from  the  secre- 
tary of  Norfolk  to  bring  to  Bannister.  In  the 
bag  were  found  letters  which  proved  that  this 
money  was  destined  for  Lord  Herries,  the  agent 
and  counsellor  of  the  Queen  of  Scotland.  Di- 
vers individuals,  even  the  Bishop  of  Ross,  were 
arrested,  and  the  torture,  or  f«ar  of  the  torture, 
made  them  avow  what  the  ministers  wished  to 
know.* 

It  was  ascertained  that  there  had  been  several 
plans  to  effect  Mary's  release ;  that  on  many 
occasions  she  had  asked  and  obtained  the  advice 
of  Norfolk ;  that  the  money  sent  to  Bannister 
had  been  forwarded  to  Norfolk  by  the  French 
ambassador;  that  through  the  mediation  of  Ru- 

*  The  Bishop  of  Ross  claimed  the  ambassadorial  privilege,  but  was 
not  hearkened  to.  He  alleged  that,  when  Randolph  and  Tamworth 
were  convicted  of  having  assisted  the  Scottish  rebels.  Queen  Mary 
had  been  contented  with  ordering  them  to  leave  the  kingdom.  This 
argument  was  peremptory;  but  Burleigh  resolved  the  difficulty,  by 
informing  the  bishop  that  he  must  either  answer  or  be  put  to  the 
rack.  ^ 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


271 


dolphi,  negotiations  had  been  established  be- 
tween the  duke,  on  one  side,  and  the  King  of 
Spain,  Duke  of  Alva,  and  the  pope,  on  the  other ; 
that  Mary,  despairing  of  redress  from  Elizabeth, 
with  whom  she  had  exhausted  every  means  in 
her  power,  had  instructed  Rudolphi  to  act  for  her 
at  foreign  courts,  and  that  the  duke  had  reviewed, 
approved,  and  corrected  these  instructio;is ;  that 
Philip  II.  had  offered  her  for  a  husband  Don 
John  of  Austria,  but  that  she  preferred  the  Duke 
of  Norfolk,  provided  he  would  agree  to  restore 
the  Catholic  faith ;  that  of  the  two  projects  pre- 
sented to  Norfolk  by  Rudolphi,  one  aimed  at  the 
arrest  of  Elizabeth  on  her  way  to  the  House  of 
Lords,  the  other  to  collect  the  greatest  possible 
number  of  troops,  and  effect  a  union  with  the 
Duke  of  Alva,  who  would  land  at  Harwich  with 
ten  thousand  veterans. 

The  first  victim  devoted  by  the  ministers  to 
j^^geance  was,  as  is  well  known,  the  Duke  of 
Norfolk,  whom  the  queen  had  not  pardoned  for 
persisting  in  seeking  to  marry  the  Queen  of 
Scotland.  On  the  14th  of  January,  1572,  the 
Earl  of  Shrewsbury,  having  been  appointed  lord 
high  steward,  summoned  twenty-six  peers,  se- 
lected by  the  ministers,  to  attend  within  two  days, 
in  "Westminster  Hall,  to  determine  on  the  duke's 


272 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


fate.  The  duke  was  charged  with  imagining 
and  compassing  the  death  of  his  sovereign  :  1. 
By  seeking  to  many  the  Queen  of  Scots,  al- 
though he  knew  that  she  claimed  the  crown  of 
England  to  the  exclusion  of  Elizabeth ;  2.  By 
soliciting  foreign  powers  to  invade  the  realm: 
3.  By  fm*nishing  money  to  be  employed  by  the 
queen's  enemies.  It  is  impossible  to  describe  the 
entire  injustice  of  this  mode  of  proceeding.  The 
accused  was  only  informed  of  his  trial  the  eve 
before  he  was  arraigned ;  for  eighteen  months  he 
had  held  no  communication  with  his  friends,  and 
only  learned  the  charges  against  him  by  hearing 
the  indictment  from  the  bar ;  and  they  even  had 
the  cruelty  to  refuse  him  counsel.  Norfolk,  not- 
withstanding, defended  himself  courageously,  and 
with  talent,  which,  always  expressed  in  a  moder- 
ate tone,  contrasted  singularly  with  the  virulence 
of  the  crown  advocates.  His  condemnation,  how- 
ever, had  been  determined  in  advance ;  he  heardj 
it  with  calmness  and  resignation. 

Elizabeth  signed  the  warrant  for  his  execution 
on  Saturday,  the  11th  of  February;  the  next 
day  she  revoked  it.  The  ^ruel  Burleigh  then 
drew  an  alarming  description  of  the  danger  her 
clemenr  y  might  produce ;  she  spent  nearly  two 
months  in  continual  hesitation.    At  last,  on  the 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


273 


9th  of  April  the  warrant  was  signed  anew,  and 
anew  revoked  in  the  middle  of  the  night..  Bur- 
leigh returned  to  the  charge.  The  death  of 
Norfolk  should  precede  that  of  a  nobler  victim  ; 
for,  it  was  said,  the  axe  must  be  laid  to  the  root : 
so  long  as  the  Queen  of  Scots  exists,  there  will 
be  no  secmity  for  the  crown  and  life  of  the 
Queen  of  England.  To  these  insinuations  Eliz- 
abeth replied,  "  Can  I  put  to  death  the  bird, 
which,  to  escape  the  talons  of  the  vulture,  has 
fled  to  my  feet  for  protection  ?  "  Burleigh  had 
at  his  disposal  the  most  servile  Parliament  that 
ever  was ;  he  always  employed  it  as  a  last  re- 
source when  he  wished  to  put  an  end  to  the 
irresolution  of  his  mistress. 

The  Commons,  having  resolved  that  the  ex- 
istence of  Norfolk  was  incompatible  with  the 
queen's  safety,  determined  that  an  energetic  ad- 
dress should  be  presented  to  the  crown,  (28th  of 
May:)  it  was  unnecessary.  Burleigh  had  a 
third  time  obtained  the  signature  of  Elizabeth, 
(31st  of  May,)  and  as  it  was  not  revoked,  the 
unfortunate  duke  was  led  to  the  scaffold,  (June 
2,)  after  a  cruel  agony  of  five  months. 

Both  houses,  rivalling  each  other  in  injustice 
and  barbarity,  then  resolved  to  proceed  against 
the  Queen  of  Scotland  by  bill  of  attainder  —  an 


274 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


infernal  procedure,  established  by  the  most  sav- 
age despotism  to  declare  one  attainted  without 
a  hearing,  without  previous  information,  and 
upon  presumptive  evidence.  The  queen  forbade 
them  proceeding  with  this  bill,  but  the  Commons 
did  not  obey.  She  repeated  her  prohibition, 
when  Burleigh  adopted  another  plan,  by  present- 
ing a  bill  which  declared  Mary  incapable  of 
succeeding.  The  queen  interdicted  anew  to  the 
two  houses  any  interference  with  the  inheritance 
of  the  crown  ;  and  as,  in  spite  of  this  prohibition, 
the  bill  had  passed  both  houses,  she  prorogued 
the  Parliament.  She  nevertheless  consented  that 
commissioners  should  be  appointed  to  complain 
to  Mary  of  the  part  she  had  taken  in  the  con- 
spiracy, who  replied,  that  in  yielding  her  consent 
to  the  proposed  marriage,  she  had  had  no  hostile 
intention  towards  the  queen  ;  that  her  correspond- 
ence with  Rudolphi  had  been  strictly  confined 
to  pecuniary  transactions,  and  that  all  she  had 
demanded  from  foreign  powers  was  to  assist  her 
faithful  Scottish  subjects. 

Meanwhile  the  base  Morton  added  a  floweret 
to  his  wreath.  The  Earl  of  Northumberland 
was  still  confined  in  the  Castle  of  Lochleven. 
Morton,  during  his  exile  in  England,  had  received 
favors  from  the  earl ;  the  countess,  trusting  to 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


275 


the  generosity  which  her  husband's  former  favors 
might  have  produced,  offered  two  thousand 
pounds  for  his  ransom,  which  sum  was  deposited 
at  Antwerp.  But  Morton,  in  the  interim,  treated 
with  the  Queen  of  England,  who  advanced  an 
equal,  or  perhaps  a  larger  sum ;  so  that  the  un- 
fortunate earl,  on  leaving  Lochleven,  was  con- 
ducted to  Berwick,  and  from  thence  to  York, 
where  he  was  beheaded  without  delay  or  trial. 

All  these  bloody  catastrophes  recalled  to  Mary 
the  lot  which  awaited  herself.  She  passed  days 
and  nights  in  pangs  of  terror,  every  instant 
seeming  to  feel  the  dagger  of  the  assassin  on  the 
way  to  her  heart ;  and  her  fears  were  not  devoid 
of  foundation.  When  the  month  of  August 
(1572)  had  arrived,  and  the  mournful  news  of 
the  night  of  the  24th  had  been  received  at  Lon- 
don, Burleigh  and  his  adherents  redoubled  their 
efforts  to  persuade  the  queen  that  the  massacre  of 
the  French  Protestants  was  only  a  prelude  to 
the  massacre  of  the  English  Protestants.  To 
anticipate  this  event,  there  was  but  one  means : 
to  put  to  death  the  Queen  of  Scots  and  her 
associates.  Elizabeth  was  not  convinced  of  the 
necessity,  or  even  of  the  efficacy,  of  this  step  ; 
but  above  all,  she  did  not  yet  wish  to  soil  her 
hands  with  the  blood  of  her  relation.  '  She 


276 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


determined  to  despatch  Killegrew  to  Scotland, 
ostensibly  to  reconcile  the  two  parties,  in  reality 
with  the  secret  mission  to  offer  the  regent  to 
deliver  the  Queen  of  Scots  to  him,  provided  she 
would  be  treated  as  she  deserved^  and  rendered 
incapable  of  ever  returning  to  England. 

The  Earl  of  Marr  nobly  rejected  the  insinua- 
tions of  Killegrew ;  he  sincerely  desired  to  rees- 
tablish peace  in  Scotland,  to  heal  the  wounds  of 
civil  war,  to  cause  the  fusion  of  the  two  parties, 
not  to  pander  to  the  jealousy  or  fears  of  the 
Queen  of  England.  He  sought  to  rally  all  the 
Scots  around  the  standard  of  his  royal  pupil, 
being  persuaded  that  if  Mary  ever  recovered  her 
liberty,  it  would  be  easy  to  reconcile  the  interests 
of  the  mother  and  son.  On  the  arrival  of  the 
English  envoy,  he  was  concluding  a  treaty  for 
the  surrender  of  Edinburgh  Castle,  when  unfor- 
tunately he  visited  the  Earl  of  ^lorton  at  Dalkeith. 
Whilst  here  being  taken  suddenly  indisposed, 
he  returned  to  Stirling,  and  died  in  a  few  days. 
Morton  was  strongly  suspected  of  having  poi- 
soned him  ;  at  least,  owing  to  English  interest, 
he  succeeded  to  his  post. 

The  new^  regent  pursued  an  entirely  different 
policy  from  that  of  the  Earl  of  Marr ;  he  de- 
manded the  unconditional  surrender  of  the  Castle 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART.         .  277 

of  Edinburgh,  (23d  of  February,  1573.)  Kir- 
kaldy,  Hume,  and  Maitland  refused  to  place 
themselves  at  the  mercy  of  their  declared  enemy, 
and  upon  their  refusal,  Drury,  the  marshal  of 
Berwick,  arrived  in  the  port  of  Leith  with  an 
English  army  and  a  considerable  train  of  artil- 
lery. After  a  siege  of  thirty-four  days,  the  be- 
sieged surrendered  to  Drury  and  the  Queen  of 
England  ;  the  noble  Elizabeth  delivered  them  to 
the  regent,  and  the  regent  had  Kirkaldy  executed. 
Maitland  was  poisoned,  as  the  Queen  of  Scots 
asserts ;  or  he  poisoned  himself,  to  escape  the  lot 
which  awaited  him.  Kirkaldy  was  considered 
the  bravest  soldier  and  best  general  in  Scotland ; 
Maitland,  the  best  statesman :  both  had  repeat- 
edly changed  their  party,  and  only  received  what 
they  merited ;  but  it  was  not  from  Morton,  who 
was  more  culpable  than  they,  that  they  should 
have  received  it. 

Many  years  passed  without  any  favorable 
change  taking  place  in  the  situation  of  the 
Queen  of  Scotland ;  each  day,  on  the  contrary, 
augmented  them.  Since  the  fall  of  Edinburgh, 
the  regent,  always  sustained  by  the  soldiers  and 
money  of  Elizabeth,  had  compelled  the  principal 
lords  of  the  queen's  party  to  recognize  his  title, 
and  submit  to  the  authority  of  the  king ;  the 
24 


278 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


Duke  of  Chastelherault  and  the  Earl  of  Huntley 
laid  down  their  arms,  and  Morton  reigned  as 
sovereign  over  Scotland,  whilst  the  queen,  a  cap- 
tive, experienced  all  the  horrors  of  the  most 
rigorous  imprisonment.  The  number  of  her  do- 
mestics was  diminished,  the  allowance  of  her 
table  reduced ;  no  stranger  could  obtain  access 
to  her  presence  without  the  express  permission 
of  Elizabeth  ;  and  her  correspondence  was  exam- 
ined and  often  retained  by  the  agents  of  the 
ministry.  Her  ignorance  of  passing  events,  the 
perpetual  anxiety  of  her  mind,  the  refusal  to 
allow  her  the  enjoyment  of  air  and  exercise,  all 
contributed  to  impair  her  health  ;  and  all  the 
petitions  she  addressed  to  Elizabeth  for  a  miti- 
gation of  the  rigor  of  her  confinement  were 
evaded,  or  remained  unanswered. 

Elizabeth,  on  her  side,  was  not  tranquil ;  she 
had  been  so  often  told  that  the  hberty  of  the 
Queen  of  Scotland  was  incompatible  with  her 
own  security,  that  she  lived  in  continual  terror, 
fearing  every  one  and  distrusting  even  her  most 
zealous  subjects ;  Burleigh  himself  and  the  Earl 
of  Shrewsbury  were  not  more  exempt  than  oth- 
ers from  suspicion.  She  particularly  dreaded  the 
power  of  Mary's  charms,  and  the  impression  they 
might  make  upon  Shrewsbury  ;  therefore  she  had 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


279 


surrounded  him  with  assistant  officials,  who, 
under  pretence  of  lightening  his  unpleasant  du- 
ties, in  fact  only  watched  his  conduct  to  report 
it  to  the  queen.  It  was  with  profound  terror 
that  she  learned  of  the  Prince  of  Orange  (Feb- 
ruary, 1577)  that  the  brother  of  Philip  IL,  the 
famous  Don  John  of  Austria,  not  only  intended 
to  subdue  the  Netherlands,  but  also  to  invade 
England,  that  he  might  marry  the  Queen  of 
Scotland,  in  whose  name,  and  by  the  assistance 
of  whose  friends,  he  would  contend  for  the  Eng- 
lish crown.  This  project  was  not  entirely  de- 
void of  foundation.  Gregory  XIIL,  the  successor 
of  Pius  v.,  had  solicited  the  King  of  Spain  to 
unite  with  him  to  liberate  Mary  Stuart  and 
establish  the  Catholic  religion  throughout  Great 
Britain.  Philip,  it  is  true,  would  not  act  openly, 
but  he  did  not  oppose  the  scheme  of  his  illegiti- 
mate brother.  The  sovereign  pontiff  would  fur- 
nish, it  was  said,  six  thousand  regular  troops, 
and  other  precautions  would  be  taken  to  secure 
the  success  of  the  expedition ;  but  it  appears 
that  the  project  existed  only  on  paper,  and  no 
attempt  was  made  to  carry  it  into  execution. 

Meanwhile  Morton,  by  his  continually  increas- 
ing avi^ty,  excited  violent  murmurs  among  the 
Scots,  and  his  acquiescence  in  all  the  desires  of 


280 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


Elizabeth  rendered  him  extremely  odious.  He 
had  altered  the  currency,  multiplied  confiscations, 
and  appropriated  to  himself  the  ecclesiastical 
benefices ;  he  showed  himself,  besides,  so  servile 
and  base  towards  England,  that,  because  an 
afiray  had  taken  place  on  the  borders  between 
the  inhabitants  of  the  two  countries,  he  even 
humbled  himself  so  far  as  to  make  public  ex- 
cuses to  Elizabeth's  envoy.    A  great  part  of  the 
nobility,  having  assembled  in  convention,  decided 
on  placing  James,  then  ten  years  of  age,  at  the 
head  of  the  government ;  and  Morton  was  com- 
pelled to  resign  his  authority,  (December,  1577.) 
But  three  months  had  scarcely  elapsed,  when, 
gaining  admittance  to  Stirling  Castle,  he  seized 
the  person  of  the  king,  and  placed  himself  at  the 
head  of  the  council,  in  which  position  he  resumed, 
as  minister,  the  authority  he  had  no  longer  as 
regent.     Athol,  the  chief  author  of  the  late 
change,  being  invited  by  Morton  to  an  enter- 
tainment as  a  sign  of  reconciliation,  died  five  or 
six  days  after  from  poison. 

Secure  of  the  ascendency,  Morton  now  gave 
the  reins  to  his  avarice  and  resentment ;  and  the 
chiefs  of  the  house  of  Hamilton  were  compelled 
to  leave  the  kingdom,  their  property  being  seized 
by  Morton,  (1579.)    But  if  divine  justice  appears 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART.  281 

sometimes  slow  in  striking,  its  blows  are  not  less 
terrible  for  that.  James  was  warmly  attached  to 
two  youths,  one  of  whom,  but  recently  arrived 
from  France,  was  the  nephew  of  the  Earl  of 
Lennox ;  the  king  created  him  earl,  then  duke, 
and  loaded  him  with  honors  ;  and  Lennox  in- 
sinuated to  the  king  that  Morton  intended  to 
convey  him  to  England.  The  other  favorite  was 
Captain  James  Stewart,  second  son  of  Lord 
Ochiltree  ;  he  hated  Morton,  of  whom  his  family 
had  reason  to  complain,  and  urged  the  king  to 
rid  himself  of  an  odious  guardian  ;  meanwhile 
he  procured  proof  of  Morton's  complicity  in  the 
assassination  of  Darnley,  and  when  he  had  ob- 
tained it,  brought  a  formal  accusation  against 
him,  (December  31,  1581.)  When  Elizabeth 
was  informed  of  this  event,  she  sent  her  agent 
Randolph  to  Scotland,  who  made  great  efforts 
to  save  the  accused ;  but  he  had  the  awkwardness 
to  accuse  Lennox  of  being  leagued  with  foreign 
princes  to  invade  England,  by  which  he  only  irri- 
tated against  his  protege  men  already  disposed 
to  treat  him  with  the  same  rigor  he  had  so  often 
displayed  towards  others. 

To  support  the  manoeuvres  of  her  worthy  rep- 
resentative Randolph,  who,  in  the  two  preceding 
missions,  had  only  been  ordered  to  leave  the 
24* 


282  LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 

realm,  and  who,  in  the  third,  had  to  fly  precipi- 
tately to  escape  being  hung,  Elizabeth  despatched 
to  the  borders  a  body  of  troops,  with  orders  to 
repair  where  they  were  needed,  in  order  to  assist 
her  parly  in  Scotland.*    But  as  her  agent  did  not 
succeed  in  exciting  the  Scots  to  rebellion,  Eliza- 
beth, through  shame,  countermanded  her  troops, 
who  returned  to  England.    It  was  proved  on  the 
«  trial,  that  Morton  had  participated  in  the  Whit- 
tingham  meeting ;  that  his  cousin  and  intimate 
friend  Archibald  Douglas,  and  his  servant  Bin- 
ning, were  actually  employed ;  that  Queen  Mary, 
when  she  joined  the  rebels  at  Carberry  Hill,  had 
told  him,  to  his  face,  that  he  was  one  of  the  mur- 
derers.   The  manrent^  or  bond  by  which  Both- 
well  was  protected  from  the  punishment  of  the 
murder,  was  also  produced,  and  a  declaration 
of  Bothwell,  made  upon  his  death  bed.  (1576.)  f  ^ 
Morton  was  unanimously  declared  guilty,  and 
condemned  to  be  hung ;  the  king,  however,  com- 
muted the  punishment  to  that  of  decapitation. 

*  "For  relief  of  hir  partie  in  Scotland,  and  (if)  need  be." 

t  In  this  declaration,  Bothwell  affirmed  that  the  queen  was  inno- 
cent, and  named  all  his  accooiplices.  It  is  believed  that  the  King  of 
Denmark  sent  a  copy  of  this  declaration  to  Elizabeth,  who  judged  it 
apropos  to  suppress  it.  It  appears,  according  to  Camden,  that  Both- 
well  always  affirmed,  on  oath,  that  the  queen  was  ignorant  of  the 
plot :  reginam  minime  consciam  fuisse  scepe  contestatus  est. 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


283 


Morton  acknowledged  that  he  had  been  soli- 
cited by  Bothwell  and  Douglas  to  take  part  in 
the  conspiracy,  and  that  he  had  refused,  because, 
although  Bothwell  alleged  the  queen's  consent, 
he  had  no  written  proof  of  it.  Camden  con- 
tends that  his  real  confession  was,  that  he  had 
demanded  the  queen's  written  order  before  join- 
ing the  conspiracy,  and  that  Bothwell  had  replied 
that  such  an  order  could  not  be  produced,  for  the 
deed  must  take  place  without  her  knowledge. 
Walter  Scott,  in  his  History  of  Scotland,  con- 
tends that  he  died  courageously,  and  with  truly 
Christian  courage.  It  is  true,  that,  when  on  the 
scaffold,  he  threw  himself  on  his  face,  manifest- 
ing by  his  groans,  sobs,  and  violent  contortions 
of  his  limbs,  much  agitation  and  anguish  of  soul ; 
which  caused  the  ministers —  Protestant  —  who 
accompanied  him  to  say,  that  these  violent  con- 
vulsions were  evident  signs  of  the  inward  and 
mighty  working  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  It  would 
have  been  desirable  for  these  ministers  to  have 
explained  their  meaning,  for  we  can  only  see 
therein  the  convulsions  of  despair ;  it  happens 
only  too  often  that  a  man  terrified  at  his  crimes, 
and  not  daring  to  hope  for  the  divine  mercy, 
abandons  himself  to  a  reprobate  rage  when  his 
term  of  life  is  about  to  close. 


284  LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


After  the  condemnation  of  Morton  and  the 
enthroning  of  James,  it  appeared  that  Elizabeth 
would  no  longer  be  able  to  retain  the  Queen 
of  Scotland  a  prisoner.  She  was  not  ignorant 
that  a  party  was  intriguing  with  the  young  king 
that  he  might  claim  his  mother's  liberty;  that 
the  King  of  Spain  and  the  pope  had  furnished 
assistance  in  money;  and  that  the  project  had 
been  entertained  of  associating  Mary  and  her 
son  on  the  Scottish  throne.  There  was,  then, 
urgent  necessity  for  forming  a  party  to  hinder 
this  event,  which,  by  reconciling  the  son  to  the 
mother,  would  have  presented  two  enemies  in- 
stead of  one.  The  infernal  policy  of  Burleigh 
assisted  Elizabeth,  by  organizing  a  new  revolu- 
tion in  Scotland.  The  Earl  of  Gowrie  invited 
the  king  (August,  1582)  to  visit  him  at  his  cas- 
tle of  E/Uthven,  whither  the  king  unsuspectingly 
repaired,  and  was  detained  a  prisoner.  James 
Stewart,  a  short  time  previous  created  Earl  of 
Arran,  was  thrown  into  prison,  and  Lennox 
escaped  to  France,  where  he  died  of  a  broken 
heart ;  or,  as  some  say,  of  poison.  The  lords  of  the 
English  faction  then  ruled  without  hinderance. 

When  the  Queen  of  Scotland  heard  this  griev- 
ous news,  she  wrote  from  her  bed,  to  which  she 
was  confined  by  illness,  a  touching  letter  to  Eliza- 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


285 


beth  ;  but  she  had  no  feeling  for  any  one  but  her- 
self. Mary's  condition  was  not  improved ;  and 
although  she  was  really  ill,  no  comfort  was  offered 
her.  In  the  interim,  the  King  of  France,  who 
was  interested  in  the  English  faction  not  gov- 
erning Scotland,  in  order  that  Elizabeth,  obliged 
to  divide  her  attention,  might  be  less  occupied  in 
assisting  the  French  Huguenots,  sent  La  Motte 
Fenelon  to  Scotland  to  aid  the  young  king  to 
recover  his  liberty,  and  effect  as  soon  as  possible 
the  association  project.  Elizabeth,  on  her  side, 
sent  (January,  1583)  Bowes  and  Davidson  to 
oppose  the  measures  of  the  French  ambassador ; 
but  James,  with  a  vigor  beyond  his  years,  pre- 
tended a  desire  to  see  St.  Andrew's,  repaired  to 
that  city,  entered  the  castle,  and  closed  the  gates, 
thus  preventing  his  guards  from  entering.  He 
then  appealed  to  the  nobility,  and  appeared  so 
determined  to  preserve  the  power  and  liberty  he 
had  regained,  that  Gowrie  and  his  friends  durst 
make  no  attempt  to  deprive  him  of  it. 

The  news  of  this  revolution  revived  Mary's 
hopes ;  but  it  was  always  her  misfortune  to  have 
for  protectors  men  who  consulted  their  own  in- 
terest before  all  else.  The  Duke  of  Guise,  the 
Archbishop  of  Glasgow,  and  many  other  im- 
portant  personages,  assembled  at   Paris,  and 


j486  LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 

devised  a  plan  for  Mary's  liberation,  which  could 
not  fail  to  succeed:  Guise  should  land  on  the 
southern  coast ;  James,  with  all  his  forces,  should 
enter  the  northern  counties ;  and  the  English 
friends  of  the  house  of  Stuart  should  be  sum- 
moned to  the  aid  of  the  injured  queen.  James, 
to  whom  this  plan  was  communicated,  approved 
of  it  without  hesitation ;  but  Mary,  to  whom  the 
French  ambassador  communicated  it,  feared  that 
on  the  first  attempt  made  for  her  deliverance,  her 
wardens  would  put  her  to  death;  she  would 
rather  seek  to  obtain  her  liberty  by  concession 
and  negotiation.  She  wrote  to  Elizabeth  that 
she  wished  to  transfer  all  her  rights  to  her  son ; 
renewed  the  offers  heretofore  made ;  and  proposed 
a  league  of  perpetual  amity.  Elizabeth,  deeply 
moved,  seemed  to  acquiesce  ;  her  ministers  made 
no  objection;  but  an  obstacle  came  whence  it 
was  least  expected.  Henry  HI.  had  ordered  his 
ambassador,  Castelnau,  to  follow  ostensibly  the 
instructions  of  the  Queen  of  Scotland,  but  to 
oppose  in  reality  any  treaty,  which,  by  freeing 
Elizabeth  from  any  apprehension  on  the  part  of 
Scotland,  would  leave  her  at  liberty  to  support 
the  Protestants  of  France. 

This  policy  of  Henry  HI.  cannot  be  too  much 
blamed,  pressed  on  one  side  as  he  was  by  a 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


287 


league,  which,  under  a  religious  pretext,  was 
devoted  to  Philip's  interest,  and  on  the  other  by 
the  Huguenots,  who  were  supported  by  their 
English  friends.  It  is  unfortunate  that  the  effects 
of  it  should  have  reacted  on  poor  Mary,  who 
finally  beheld  the  cup  of  promise  dashed  for  the 
tenth  time  from  her  lips.  On  her  side,  the  Eng- 
lish queen,  although  determined  on  still  retaining 
her  prisoner,  experienced  considerable  disquie- 
tude, more  especially  as  she  was  threatened  with- 
out knowing  who  threatened  her.  She  learned, 
through  her  spies,  of  the  Duke  of  Guise's  pro- 
jects in  favor  of  her  relation,  of  his  connection 
with  James,  and  of  the  hopes  he  based  upon  a 
great  number  of  English  subjects.  To  prevent 
the  evil  which  she  feared,  she  increased  the  num- 
ber of  her  spies,  distributed  money  freely,  em- 
ployed every  where  agents,  the  provocators  of 
troubles  and  revolts,  laid  snares  for  the  Catholics 
of  her  kingdom,  augmented  the  severity  of  the 
penal  laws,  and  permitted  one  party  of  her 
subjects  to  persecute  the  other  in  her  name. 
The  scaffolds  at  that  time  (1584)  were  drenched 
with  blood,  and  men  of  all  classes  suffered  the 
frightful  punishment  of  traitors.  Meanwhile,  her 
minister  Walsingham  was  intriguing  in  Scot- 
land, and  paid  the  preachers  to  excite  the  spirit 


288 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


of  insurrection,  the  nobles  to  arm  their  vassals, 
and  the  people  to  join  the  insurgents. 

The  king,  who  perceived  that  his  crown  was 
still  aimed  at,  by  an  ordinance  of  the  2d  of 
March  enjoined  on  all  persons  concerned  in  the 
"  raid  of  Ruthven  "  to  quit  the  kingdom  without 
delay.  Gowrie  promised  obedience,  but  joined 
the  Earls  of  Angus  and  Marr,  his  accomplices ; 
about  the  middle  of  April,  they  appeared  at  the 
head  of  a  body  of  insurgents.  Five  days  after, 
(April  18,)  the  insurgents  were  routed,  pursued 
and  dispersed  ;  and  Gowrie,  being  taken  prisoner, 
was  delivered  to  justice.  The  good  Elizabeth 
had  determined  to  assist  the  rebels,  but  the  French 
ambassador  strongly  remonstrated;  the  order  re- 
mained unexecuted,  and  was  soon  after  revoked, 
on  learning  that  Gowrie  had  been  executed  as  a 
traitor.  Angus  and  Marr  escaped  to  England, 
and  Walsingham  solicited  their  pardon  in  Eliza- 
beth's name ;  but  the  Scottish  Parliament  con- 
demned them  as  rebels,  and  confiscated  their 
property.  This  vigorous  act  was  a  death  blow 
to  the  English  faction  in  Scotland. 

In  the  mean  time,  Elizabeth  desired  a  recon- 
ciliation, and  her  minister  Walsingham,  all  of 
whose  plans  had  been  baffled,  advised  her  to 
accept  Mary's  proposition.    James  then  sent  his 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART.  289 

favorite  Gray,  master  of  Marr,  to  London ;  Nau, 
Mary's  French  secretary,  repaired  thither  also. 
The  French  ambassador  was  authorized  to  offer 
his  mediation ;  when,  unfortunately,  a  Scottish 
Jesuit,  named  Creighton,  returning  to  Scotland, 
was  taken  by  a  Danish  cruiser,  which  conveyed 
him  to  England.  There,  contrary  to  the  most 
simple  conception  of  the  law  of  nations,  although 
he  was  a  foreigner,  a  native  of  a  country  with 
which  they  were  at  peace,  that  he  came  from  a 
country  equally  friendly,  that  he  was  neither 
accused  nor  guilty  of  any  hostile  act  towards 
England,  himself  and  a  priest,  also  a  Scot,  who 
accompanied  him,  were  examined.  Tortures,  or 
the  fear  of  the  rack,  made  them  disclose  all  the 
particulars  of  the  invasion  projected  two  years 
before,  and  of  which  the  prospect  alone  caused 
Elizabeth  so  much  alarm. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  say  that  Burleigh  and 
his  friends  improved  the  opportunity  to  agitate 
the  mind  of  their  capricious  and  feeble  mistress 
with  new  and  unfounded  apprehensions ;  and 
a  plan  of  association  was  even  composed,  the 
members  of  which  bound  themselves  to  pursue 
unto  death,  not  only  every  one  who  should  at- 
tempt, but  also  every  person  in  whose  favor  any 
other  should  attempt,  the  life  of  the  queen.  The 
25 


290 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


latter  clause  was  evidently  directed  against  the 
Queen  of  Scots,  whose  life  was  thus  placed 
at  the  mercy  of  the  first  murderer  who  would 
deprive  her  of  it ;  for  a  plot  had  only  to  be  pre- 
tended, to  justify  the  assassin.  When  the  plan 
of  the  association  was  shown  to  Mary,  she  read 
it  as  her  death  warrant;  for  she  did  not  doubt 
the  enmity  of  Elizabeth,  and  placed  little  depend- 
ance  on  her  son,  who,  now  arrived  at  the  age 
when  generous  sentiments  are  developed,  —  he 
was  seventeen, —  showed  no  real  attachment,  ex- 
cept to  his  pleasures  or  interests,  and  who  added 
profound  dissimulation  to  this  cool  selfishness. 
In  his  negotiations  with  Guise,  the  King  of 
Spain,  and  the  pope,  he  expressed  a  strong  par- 
tiality for  the  Catholic  worship,  and  an  excessive 
tenderness  for  his  mother,  whom  he  wished  to 
liberate  at  the  peril  of  his  life ;  but  money  was 
always  needed  to  levy  troops,  equip  them,  and  pay 
agents.  By  these  protestations  he  obtained  con- 
siderable assistance  in  money ;  but  his  sincerity 
was  at  last  doubted ;  their  liberality  ceased,  and 
he  determined  to  play  a  similar  game  with  Eliza- 
beth. His  ambassador  Gray  was  ordered  not 
to  join  the  secretary  of  Mary,  but  to  negotiate 
apart.  Gray  was  a  Catholic,  at  least  in  appear- 
ance, and  had  always  professed  the  greatest 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


291 


attachment  to  Mary's  cause.  He  was  at  first 
received  coldly  enough  by  Elizabeth,  and  still 
more  so  by  her  ministers  ;  but  by  assisting  at  the 
Anglican  service,  acting  in  opposition  to  Nau, 
and  revealing  to  Elizabeth  all  that  he  knew  of 
the  plans  formed  for  Mary's  deliverance,  he  so 
gained  her  confidence  as  to  obtain  a  sum  of 
money  from  her  for  his  master,  with  the  promise 
of  a  larger  sum,  in  proportion  to  the  services 
that  James  might  render  her;  that  is  to  say, 
if  James  would  aid  in  delivering  her  from  her 
prisoner,  or  at  least  consent  that  she  should  be 
rid  of  her. 

The  English  Parliament  assembled  in  autumn, 
and  one  of  the  first  subjects  with  which  it  was 
occupied  was  the  confirmation,  by  statute,  of  the 
association  for  the  queen's  safety.  It  was  pro- 
posed that,  in  case  of  invasion,  or  any  attempt 
against  the  queen,  the  individual  by  or  for  whom 
the  attempt  was  made  should  forfeit  all  right  to 
the  succession,  and  should  be  pursued  to  death 
by  all  the  queen's  subjects.  Elizabeth  felt  the 
scandalous  injustice  of  this  measm-e,  and  in  a 
message  proposed  sundry  amendments.  The 
bill,  which  finally  passed,  provided  that,  before 
pursuing'  to  death  any  individual,  that  individual 
should  have  been  declared  privy  to  the  crime  by 


292  LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


a  commission  of  twenty-four  members ;  by  the 
same  bill  Mary  and  her  descendants  were  de- 
clared incapable  of  succeeding,  in  case  the  queen 
perished  by  a  violent  death  ;  and  the  articles  of 
the  association  already  subscribed  were  ordered 
to  be  explained  according  to  the  provisions  of 
the  present  statute. 


CHAPTER  XL 

ASSOCIATION.  —  TROUBLES.  —  CONSPIRACY  OF  BABINGTON.  —  MARY 
IS  IMPLICATED  IN  IT.  —  HER  TRIAL,  CONDEMNATION,  AND  DEATH. 

The  unfortunate  Queen  of  Scotland  had 
passed  the  whole  winter  (1584—1585)  in  the 
most  cruel  disquietude ;  her  agony  had  already 
commenced.*  The  ratification  of  the  plan  of 
association  by  Parliament ;  her  removal  from  the 
Castle  of  Sheffield,  where  she  was  under  the 
warden  ship  of  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury,  to  the 
old  and  ruinous  manor  of  Tutbury,  where  Sir 
Amias  Paulet,  a  dependent  of  Leicester,  was 
her  jailer ;  the  suspicions  thrown  out  that  she 

*  "  A  more  weary  and  distressing  course  of  oppression,  mingled 
from  time  to  time  with  deceitful  glimmerings  of  delusive  hope,  is 
hardly  to  be  found  in  history."  —  Sir  Walter  Scott. 


LIFE   OF  MARY   STUART.  293 

knew  the  plans  of  many  conspirators  who  had 
been  tried  ;  the  silence  or  evasive  replies  of  Eliz- 
abeth,—  all  contributed  to  agitate  her  mind  with 
sadness,  grief,  and  alarm.  To  these  subjects, 
fraught  with  fear  for  the  future,  was  at  length 
joined  the  conviction  that  her  son  had  no  affec- 
tion for  her.  After  she  had  discovered  Gray's 
treason,  she  had  written  to  James,  complaining 
of  the  conduct  of  his  favorite.  James  answered 
her  in  a  disrespectful  manner,  concluding  by  say- 
ing that  she  was  only  the  queen  mother,  that  she 
had  no  right  to  interfere  in  the  affairs  of  the 
realm,  and  that  she  had  only  a  title  without  au- 
thority. This  letter  opened  Mary's  eyes  to  the 
hopelessness  of  her  situation.  Abandoned  by  - 
her  own  son,  upon  whom  could  she  henceforth 
rely  ?  At  first  she  formed  the  resolution  of  dis- 
owning him,  and  of  transferring  all  her  own 
rights  to  some  prince  capable  of  defending  them  ; 
but  she  made  to  Heaven  a  sacrifice  of  her  resent- 
ment, and  Heaven,  who  wished  yet  to  prove  her, 
sent  her  new  trials.  A  young  man,  a  Catholic 
recusant,  and  suspected  of  being  a  priest,  was 
sent  to  Tutbury  and  confined  in  a  room  adjoin- 
ing the  queen's  chamber.  She  saw  him  many 
times  dragged  to  the  chapel  to  assist  at  the  An- 
glican service,  and,  at  the  end  of  three  weeks,  he 
25* 


294 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


was  hanged  before  her  window.*  This  sinister 
event  only  confirmed  her  in  the  opinion  that  her 
own  life  was  sought.  "  In  this  sinister  opinion 
I  have  been  not  a  little  confirmed  by  the  treat- 
ment of  this  priest,  who,  after  having  been  so 
much  tormented,  was  hanged  on  the  wall  before 
my  windows."  Influenced  by  this  dismal  idea, 
she  wrote  to  Elizabeth,  beseeching  her  for  liberty 
and  life.  "  I  beg  of  you,  madam,"  wrote  she  to 
her,  after  a  preamble  in  which  she  appears  con- 
vinced that  the  aim  of  the  association  was  her 
death,  —  "I  beg  of  you,  with  clasped  hands,  to 
free  me  from  this  long  and  miserable  captivity. 
Name  the  conditions  ;  I  will  submit  to  them, 
whatever  they  may  be,  provided  my  conscience 
be  safe  ;  if  my  past  offers  are  not  sufficient  for 
your  security,  take  from  me  all  right  to  the  suc- 
cession. I  am  content.  I  have  no  doubt  of 
your  sincerity  and  truth.  Yet  when  they  have 
murdered  me  without  your  knowledge,  who  can 
repair  the  injury  to  me  ?  *  *  *.  If  my  re- 
ligion is  what  is  aimed  at  by  my  enemies,  I  am 
ready,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  bow  my  head 
under  the  axe,  to  shed  my  blood  in  the  face  of 
all  Christian  nations.    I  shall  esteem  it  a  happi- 


*  See  Appendix,  No.  10. 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


295 


ness  to  be  the  first  victim.  This  is  not  an  idle 
boast :  you  know  that  I  am  not  out  of  danger." 

Elizabeth,  no  longer  afraid  of  James,  who  had 
basely  become  her  dependant,  did  not  answer 
Mary's  letter,  and  left  her  to  the  care  of  Paulet, 
whose  fanaticism  and  religious  frenzy  she  well 
knew.  A  short  time  after  she  concluded  a  treaty 
with  James,  (5th  of  July,  1586,)  by  which  they 
reciprocally  engaged  to  defend  the  reformed  re- 
ligion against  the  efforts  of  Catholic  princes,  and 
to  assist  each  other  in  case  of  foreign  invasion. 
In  this  treaty  no  mention  was  made  of  the 
Queen  of  Scots,  whose  misfortunes  were  finally 
drawing  to  a  close.  It  has  been  said  that  her 
servants  and  her  own  friends,  by  their  impru- 
dence, combined  with  her  vehement  adversaries 
in  hurrying  her  to  the  scaffold.  They  were 
not  only  disunited  among  themselves,  but  a  great 
number  of  traitors  had  crept  in  among  her  loyal 
defenders, 

Morgan  and  Paget  acted  as  administrators  of 
the  queen's  dower  in  France.  The  former  had 
been  implicated  in  a  conspiracy  against  Eliza- 
beth, and  though  there  was  no  proof,  she  forgot 
herself  so  far  as  to  say  that  she  would  give  ten 
thousand  pounds  for  his  head.  When  she  sent 
the  order  of  the  garter  to  the  French  king,  she 


296 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


demanded  in  return  the  person  of  Morgan.  The 
feeble  Henry  III.  durst  not  refuse ;  but  judgmg 
that  if  he  obeyed  the  request  of  Elizabeth,  his 
condescension  would  do  him  no  honor,  he  adopt- 
ed a  middle  course,  confined  Morgan  in  the  Bas- 
tile,  and  sent  his  papers  to  the  queen.  Morgan 
employed  the  time  in  prison  in  planning  schemes 
of  revenge,  and  with  the  aid  of  Paget  corre- 
sponded with  Mary,  and  sought  agents  and 
accomplices  in  every  part  of  England.  The 
minister  Walsingham  suspected  him,  corrupted 
the  fidelity  of  his  agents,  and  encouraged  him  in 
his  schemes,  he  himself  secretly  placing  at  his 
disposal  various  means  of  success.  This  pro- 
ceeding concealed  a  perfidious  object:  Morgan 
corresponded  with  Mary's  two  secretaries,  Nau 
and  Curie ;  the  wily  Walsingham  thought  that 
the  unfortunate  princess  might  be  compromised 
by  some  imprudence  so  that  the  statute  of  the 
association  would  apply  to  her.  Morgan  em- 
ployed as  bearer  of  despatches  one  Pooley,  who 
was  in  the  service  of  a  daughter  of  Walsing- 
ham ;  and  his  principal  agents  in  England  were 
Gifford  and  Greatley,  two  men  who  had  studied 
in  the  English  seminaries,  and  who  were  both  in 
the  pay  of  the  government.  Morgan  had  rec- 
ommended them  in  the  strongest  terms  to  Mary, 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


297 


and  she  had  given  them  her  confidence.  We 
need  not  say  that  through  these  three  men 
Walsingham  was  very  punctually  informed  of 
all  that  passed. 

There  was  yet  a  fourth  agent,  who  called  him- 
self Fortescue,  and  assumed  the  garb  of  an 
officer.  Maude  insinuated  himself  so  far  into 
his  confidence  that  he  learned  that  he  was  a 
Catholic  priest,  named  John  Ballard,  whose  ob- 
ject was  to  sound  the  disposition  of  his  hosts, 
and  seek  assistance  and  friends  for  the  exiles. 
The  Spanish  ambassador  Mendoza,  who  was  at 
Paris,  having  only  given  vague  promises  oi 
cooperation  on  the  part  of  his  master,  Ballard 
was  sent  by  Morgan  and  Paget  to  England,  to 
see  there  Savage  and  Babington.  The  former 
was  an  officer  who  had  served  in  the  wars  of 
Flanders,  and  who  had  undertaken  to  kill  Eliza- 
beth ;  the  latter  was  a  rich  young  man  of  good 
family,  from  the  county  of  Derby,  who  had 
always  professed  a  chivalric  enthusiasm  for  the 
Queen  of  Scotland. 

When  Babington  learned  from  Ballard  that 
Savage  had  engaged  to  murder  the  queen,  he 
said  that  the  death  of  Elizabeth  was  too  impor- 
tant an  affair  to  be  confided  to  the  trust  of  a 
single  individual.    He  proposed  that  six  gentle- 


298 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


men  should  be  appointed  to  that  service,  whilst 
others  should  deliver  the  Queen  of  Scotland ; 
and  he  undertook  to  propose  the  affair  to  several 
faithful  friends,  who  would  joyfully  seize  the 
occasion  to  serve  the  captive  queen,  and  deliver 
their  brethren  from  persecution.  All  these  de- 
tails were  minutely  transmitted  to  Walsingham 
by  Maude  and  Pooley ;  and  that  artful  minister, 
whilst  he  smiled  at  the  infatuation  of  the  youths, 
who  had  thus  entangled  themselves  in  the  toils, 
was  busily  employed  in  weaving  a  new  intrigue, 
and  planning  the  ruin  of  a  more  illustrious  vic- 
tim. Gifford  repaired,  by  order  of  Walsingham, 
to  the  neighborhood  of  Chertsey  ;  secured,  by  a 
bribe,  the  services  of  a  man  who  carried  beer  to 
the  castle  in  which  Mary  was  confined ;  and 
opened  a  correspondence  with  the  two  secreta- 
ries, Nau  and  Curie.  A  few  days  after  Babing- 
ton  received  from  the  hands  of  an  unknown 
messenger  a  note,  written  by  Gifford  in  Mary's 
cipher.  In  this  pretended  billet  of  Mary,  she 
complained  to  Babington  of  having  discontinued 
his  services,  and  requested  him  to  forward  to 
Chertsey  a  package  which  he  had  received  from 
the  French  ambassador. 

Babington  suspected  nought,  and  rejoicing  in 
being  useful  to  Mary,  he  sent  her  the  packet  with 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


299 


a  letter  from  himself.  Gifford  forwarded  the 
letter  and  packet  to  Walsingham.  The  papers 
were  deciphered  by  Thomas  Philipps,  and  tran- 
scribed in  the  minister's  bureau :.  the  original,  or 
perhaps  only  a  copy,  was  returned  to  Gifford, 
and  by  him  forwarded  to  Chertsey.  Mary's  an- 
swer to  Babington  was  likewise  deciphered  and 
transcribed  in  Walsingham's  bureau,  before  being 
sent  to  its  address.  When  use  was  made  of 
these  letters,  at  a  later  period,  in  order  that  Mary 
might  be  implicated  in  the  conspiracy,  many 
persons  doubted  their  real  contents.  Ballard, 
who  by  his  conduct  showed  himself  so  little 
worthy  of  the  sacred  character  with'  which  he 
was  invested,  apprehensive  of  immediate  danger, 
or  induced  by  the  hope  of  a  commensurate  re- 
ward, offered  to  disclose  the  whole  proceeding  to 
Walsingham  ;  but  the  queen's  letter  was  deci- 
phered, his  services  were  not  wanted,  and  he  was 
arrested  as  a  seminary  priest,  (4th  of  August.) 
The  alarm  spread  among  the  conspirators,  many 
of  whom  fled. 

Walsingham  then  judged  it  proper  to  inform 
the  queen  of  his  proceedings.  She,  being  alarmed, 
praised  his  ingenuity,  but  condemned  his  confi- 
dence ;  it  was,  she  said,  tempting  divine  Provi- 
dence ;  exposing  her  life  to  imminent  danger ; 


300  LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 

and  she  immediately  gave  orders  that  all  the 
conspirators  should  be  arrested.  These  orders 
becoming  known,  the  guilty  fled,  but  were  all 
taken,  some  in  dwellings  in  which  they  were 
concealed,  others  in  the  provinces.  Edward 
Windsor  was  the  only  one  who  had  the  good 
fortune  to  escape  the  pursuivants.  There  were 
different  gradations  in  their  guilt.  Babington 
was  in  reality  an  assassin,  since  he  approved  of 
Savage's  project;  others  had  refused  to  imbrue 
their  hands  in  the  queen's  blood,  but  offered  to 
undertake  Mary's  liberation  ;  others  still,  equally 
condemning  both  projects,  committed  the  crime 
of  not  denouncing  their  friends.  Babington  ap- 
pears to  have  had  little  generosity,  for  his  decla- 
rations alone  formed  the  principal  proof  upon 
which  his  fellow  accused  were  convicted.  It  is 
believed  that  he  entertained,  or  was  promised, 
hopes  of  pardon.  They  were  all  condemned  to 
suffer  the  frightful  punishment  of  traitors.*  As 

*  This  punishment  was  indeed  horrible,  and  worthy  of  being  em- 
ployed by  the  most  ferocious  people.  When  the  executioner  had 
received  the  victim  from  the  hands  of  the  sheriii,  he  had  him  held  by 
his  assistants  ;  then  taking  a  large  cutlass  in  his  right  hand,  he  split 
open  his  chest,  taking  great  care  not  to  sever  the  arteries ;  afterwards, 
introducing  his  hand  into  the  wound,  he  drew  forth  the  heart  of  the 
unfortunate  condemned,  who  almost  always  had  time,  before  expiring, 
to  see  his  heart  and  entrails  in  the  hands  of  the  executioner.  Often, 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


301 


two  days  were  allotted  for  their  execution,  and 
it  was  remarked  on  the  first  day  that  the  rank 
and  youth  of  the  condemned,  by  exciting  public 
pity,  had  made  the  punishment  inflicted  on  them 
seem  the  more  horrible,  on  the  second  day  life 
was  allowed  to  be  extinct  before  the  bodies  were 
delivered  to  the  executioner.  Some  days  before 
the  arrest  of  Babington,  —  that  is,  about  the  com- 
mencement of  the  month  of  August,  —  Sir  Amias 
Paulet  had  been  ordered  to  seize  the  papers  of 
the  Queen  of  Scotland,  and  he  had  promised  to 
perform  the  commission  with  the  grace  of  God. 
The  first  day  that  Mary  took  an  airing,  he  con- 
ducted her  by  force  to  Tixal,  restricted  her  to  a 
particular  corner  of  the  house,  and  debarred  her 
from  the  use  of  pen,  ink,  and  paper.  About  the 
end  of  the  month  she  was  allowed  to  return  to 
Chertsey,  and  entering  her  apartment,  observed 
that  her  cabinets  were  standing  open,  and  that 
her  money,  seals,  and  papers  were  gone.  For 
some  moments  she  preserved  an  indignant  silence ; 
then  turning  to  Paulet  with  an  air  of  dignity,  she 
said,  "  There  yet  remain  two  things,  sir,  which 
you  cannot  deprive  me  of :  the  right  which  the 

•when  the  condemned  was  a  Catholic,  the  executioner  cut  the  rope 
quickly  after  the  drop,  so  that  the  sufferer,  whilst  yet  alive,  under- 
went a  double  punishment. 

26 


302 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


royal  blood  that  flows  in  my  veins  gives  me  to 
the  crown  of  England,  and  the  attachment  which 
binds  my  heart  to  the  religion  of  my  fathers." 

Meanwhile  Elizabeth,  not  being  able  to  decide 
alone  on  the  fate  of  Mary,  consulted  her  faithful 
counsellors.  Some  endeavored  to  save  her  life  ; 
they  pleaded  her  advanced  age,  —  she  was  in 
her  45th  year,  —  her  corporal  infirmities,  con- 
tracted during  her  captivity,  and  the  probability 
that  she  would  succumb  in  a  short  time  under 
the  rigor  of  a  protracted  confinement.  The 
greater  number,  however,  maintained  that  Mary's 
death  was  necessary  for  the  security  of  their 
religion  ;  and  these  balanced  between  the  two 
opposite  opinions  of  Leicester,  who  recommended 
the  sure  but  silent  operation  of  poison,  and  of 
Walsingham,  who  contended  that  the  reputation 
of  their  sovereign  required  the  solemnity  of  a 
public  trial.  The  latter  advice  prevailed  ;  and  a 
commission  was  issued  to  forty-seven  peers, 
privy  counsellors,  and  judges,  all  chosen  from  the 
most  devoted  of  Elizabeth's  subjects,  to  investi- 
gate the  conduct  of  Mary,  "  commonly  called 
Queen  of  Scotland  and  Queen  Dowager  of 
France,"  and  to  pronounce  judgment  according 
to  the  provisions  of  an  act  passed  in  the  twenty- 
seventh  year  of  the  queen's  reign,  (the  statute  of 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


303 


the  association.)  Thirty-six  members  of  this 
commission,  accompanied  by  the  crown  advo- 
cates, repaired  to  the  Castle  of  Fotheringay, 
whither  Mary  had  been  transferred  some  days 
before.  She  received  them  without  testifying 
any  surprise,  heard  the  explanation  of  the  object 
of  their  visit,  but  energetically  refused  to  recog- 
nize their  authority.  "  Your  authority,"  said 
she  to  them,  "  is  derived  from  the  Queen  of 
England,  but  the  Queen  of  England  is  not  my 
superior ;  I  am  an  independent  sovereign,  and  I 
will  not  dishonor  the  crown  of  Scotland  by  con- 
senting to  appear  as  a  criminal  before  an  English 
court  of  justice."  The  commissioners  separated, 
dissatisfied  and  perplexed.  In  the  solitude  and 
silence  of  the  night,  she  vividly  recalled  to  mind 
the  extraordinary  scene  which  had  taken  place ; 
she  above  all  remembered,  and  to  her  sorrow, 
the  remark  of  Hatton,  that  her  refusal  to  recog- 
nize the  jurisdiction  of  the  court  arose  only  from 
consciousness  of  guilt.  In  the  morning  she  con- 
sented to  plead  for  the  sake  of  her  reputation, 
but  on  condition  that  her  protest  against  the 
authority  of  the  court  should  be  previously  ad- 
mitted.   This,  after  some  demur,  was  granted. 

This  concession  of  Mary  was  a  great  impru- 
dence, for  by  it  she  committed  herself  defence- 


304 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


less  to  men  among  whom  she  had  not  a  single 
friend,  and  who  surely  would  not  be  deterred  by 
a  vain  protestation,  for  the  decision  of  which  there 
would  be  no  judges.  If  she  had  relied  on  her 
quality  of  sovereign,  and  said  to  her  pretended 
judges,  "You  are  the  stronger;  you  can  hang 
me,  but  you  cannot  judge  me,"  perhaps  they 
would  not  have  dared  go  farther ;  in  consenting 
to  her  trial,  she  consented  to  her  condemnation. 
Under  the  circumstances  in  which  she  was  placed, 
though  they  might  assert,  yet  it  would  be  almost 
impossible  to  prove  her  innocence.  She  was 
alone,  friendless,  unpractised  in  judicial  forms, 
without  papers,  or  witnesses,  or  counsel,  with 
no  knowledge  of  the  Babington  conspiracy  but 
what  they  had  v/ished  her  to  know,  and  unable 
to  divine  upon  what  the  charge  rested ;  how 
could  she  oppose  this  array  of  statesmen,  jurists, 
and  lawyers,  leagued  together  to  crush  her? 
Nevertheless,  Mary  defended  herself  with  spirit 
and  dignity ;  and  before  no  tribunal  would  the 
most  vile  accused  have  been  condemned  on 
the  feeble  proofs  alleged  against  the  Queen  of 
Scotland. 

The  accusation  may  be  divided  into  two 
heads :  contravention  to  the  association  statute 
by  conspiring  with  foreigners  and  traitors  to  pro- 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


305 


cure  —  1.  The  invasion  of  the  realm;  2.  The 
death  of  the  queen. 

To  establish  the  first  part,  a  great  number  of 
letters,  intercepted  or  found  in  her  cabinet,  were 
produced;  if  these  letters  were  genuine,  they 
showed  that  she  had  approved  of  the  plan  of 
invasion  devised  at  Paris,  and  that  she  had 
even  offered  to  aid  its  execution  by  inducing  her 
friends  in  Scotland  to  take  up  arms  and  seize 
the  person  of  James*  Mary  denied  these  charges, 
which  she  treated  as  frivolous,  and  said  that,  as 
the  equal  and  not  the  subject  of  Elizabeth,  she 
had  of  right  sought  every  means  to  recover  her 
liberty,  which  they  had  deprived  her  of,  by  abus- 
ing her  confidence  and  good  faith ;  she  had  always 
offered  conditions  to  Elizabeth,  which  even  she 
had  pronounced  reasonable,  and  that  all  her 
propositions  having  been  rejected,  she  had  ac- 
cepted the  offers  of  assistance  which  had  been 
tendered  her  by  her  friends. 

The  second  part  of  the  charge  she  vehemently 
denied.  The  crown  advocates  read  a  copy  of 
Babington's  letter,  in  which  appeared  this  pas- 
sage :  "  For  the  despatch  of  the  usurper,  from 
obedience  of  whom,  by  the  excommunication  of 
her,  we  are  made  free,  there  be  six  noble  gentle- 
men, all  my  private  friends,  who,  for  the  zeal  they 
26* 


806 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


bear  to  the  Catholic  cause  and  your  majesty's 
service,  will  undertake  the  tragical  execution." 
Then  was  read  a  copy  of  the  supposed  reply,  in 
which  the  queen  was  made  to  say,  "  When  the 
forces  are  in  readiness  both  within  and  without 
the  realm,  then  shall  it  be  time  to  set  the  six  gen- 
tlemen on  work,  taking  good  order  that,  on  the 
accomplishment  of  their  design,  I  may  be  sud- 
denly transported  out  of  this  place."  It  is  worthy 
of  remark  that  in  this  trial,  as  well  as  in  that 
which  Mary  had  undergone  concerning  Darnley's 
assassination,  copies  were  only  employed,  and  the 
originals  not  produced,  in  spite  of  the  most  formal 
and  legitimate  demands. 

Mary  contended  that  she  had  never  received 
such  a  letter  from  Babington  ;  that  she  had  never 
sent  him  such  a  reply ;  and  that,  instead  of  has- 
tening the  execution  of  Babington,  they  should 
have  produced  him  as  a  witness  against  her. 
The  lawyers  replied,  by  opposing  to  that  the  con- 
fessions of  Babington,  Nau,  and  Cm*le,  that  they 
believed  the  copies  were  faithful  transcripts  of 
the  originals.*  But  where  were  these  originals? 
"What  could  hinder  Mary's  accusers  from  pro- 
ducing them  ?  Babington  had  avowed  the  charge 
in  the  hope  of  being  pardoned ;  Nau  was  a  timid 


*  See  Appmdix,  No.  11. 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


307 


man,  whom  they  had  likewise  frightened  by  the 
sight  of  tortures.  "  Moreover,  Nau,"  said  Mary, 
"  may  have  written  this  letter  in  my  name,*  but 
without  my  knowledge  and  against  my  will." 
Mary  demanded  to  be  confronted  with  them  in 
the  presence  of  Parliament,  or  before  the  queen. 
The  presiding  officer  of  the  commission,  not  be- 
ing able,  or  desiring  not  to  answer,  or  obeying 
secret  orders,  adjourned  the  assembly  from  the 
15th  to  the  2oth  of  October,  and  from  the 
Castle  of  Fotheringay  to  the  Star  Chamber  at 
Westminster. 

On  that  day  the  two  secretaries  appeared ;  but 
it  was  in  Mary's  absence  that  the  commissioners 
unanimously  declared  her  convicted  of  having 
devised  and  arranged  many  plots  against  the 
queen's  person,  in  contravention  to  the  statute ; 
and  although  this  statute  declared  Mary  and  her 
descendants  incapable  of  succeeding,  the  com- 
missioners added,  that  the  sentence  should  in 
no  way  derogate  from  the  rights  of  James,  King 
of  Scotland. 

This  last  clause,  determined  upon  in  advance, 
had  been  inserted  to  hinder  the  King  of  Scotland 
from  taking  up  arms  to  save  his  mother ;  he  had 

*  Dr.  Lingard  makes  Nau  to  have  previously  to  this  time  com- 
mitted a  similar  offence. 


308 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


sufficiently  shown  how  little  affection  he  had  for 
her,  and  now  that  his  right  to  the  succession  was 
recognized,  what  mattered  it  to  him  whether  his 
mother  died  or  was  saved  ?  James  only  loved 
money;  Mary  could  then  expect  no  assistance 
from  any  one.  The  King  of  Spain  was  occu- 
pied in  maintaining  his  ground  in  Flanders,  and 
the  King  of  France  in  defending  his  throne 
against  the  league.  Elizabeth  was  the  supreme 
arbiter  of  her  lot ;  the  death  warrant  was  offered 
for  her  signature ;  her  indecision  could  not  save 
Mary,  but  prolong  her  cruel  agony.  What  re- 
strained Elizabeth  was  the  stain  which  the  blood 
of  the  Queen  of  Scotland  would  imprint  upon 
her  name. 

Meanwhile,  Parliament,  which  had  been  pro- 
rogued from  the  15th  of  October,  assembled,  and 
the  proceedings  at  Fotheringay  were  submitted 
to  it.  They  were  not  only  found  very  correct, 
but  the  sentence  appeared  so  worthy  of  the  in- 
struction which  had  preceded  it,  that  both  houses 
united  in  a  petition  for  it  to  be  carried  promptly 
into  execution,  (12th  of  November,)  as  if  the  least 
delay  would  place  the  throne  and  religion  in 
danger.  Elizabeth  demanded  some  time  for 
deliberation,  but  she  inquired  particularly  if  no 
expedient  could  be  resorted  to,  which  would  in- 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


309 


sure  her  life,  without  carrying  the  sentence  into 
execution.  She  was  answered,  that  no  expedi- 
ent was  possible.  They  did  not  understand,  or 
did  not  wish  to  understand  her ;  she  also  made 
the  following  strange  response  :  "  If  I  should  say 
to  you,  that  I  meant  not  to  grant  your  petition, 
by  my  faith,  I  should  say  unto  you  more,  per- 
haps, than  I  mean.  And  if  I  should  say  that  I 
mean  to  grant  it,  I  should  tell  you  more  than  is 
fit  for  you  to  know.  Tims  I  must  deliver  to  you 
an  anstver  answerless.^^ 

Lord  Buckhurst  was  charged  with  the  sad  task 
of  announcing  to  Mary  her  condemnation  ;  he 
bade  her  not  to  hope  for  mercy,  as  her  attach- 
ment to  the  Catholic  faith  rendered  her  life  in- 
compatible with  the  security  of  the  established 
religion,  and  offered  her  the  aid  of  a  bishop  or 
dean  of  the  reformed  church*  to  prepare  her  for  ^ 
death.  The  queen  replied,  that  she  was  ready  to 
shed  her  blood  for  her  religion ;  that,  moreover, 

*  In  a  critique,  in  the  Edinburgh  Review,  upon  Hallam's  Consti- 
tutional History,  the  writer  thus  truly  describes  the  founders  of  this  ' 
church  :  *'  A  king,  whose  character  may  be  best  described  by  saying, 
that  he  was  despotism  itself  personified ;  unprincipled  ministers ;  a 
rapacious  aristocracy ;  a  servile  Parliament.  Such  were  the  instru- 
ments by  which  England  was  delivered  from  the  yoke  of  Rome.  The 
work  which  had  been  begun  by  Henry,  the  murderer  of  his  wives, 
was  continued  by  Somerset,  the  murderer  of  his  brother,  and  com- 
pleted by  Elizabeth,  the  murderer  of  her  guest." 


810 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


she  had  no  need  of  the  assistance  of  an  ecclesi- 
astic of  the  reformed  religion  ;  that  she  only  re- 
quested that  they  would  not  deprive  her  of  the 
services  of  her  almoner,  which  request  was  reluc- 
tantly granted,  but  only  for  a  short  time.  She 
employed  the  time  in  writing  two  important 
letters,  one  to  the  sovereign  pontiff,*  the  other  to 
the  Archbishop  of  Glasgow.  On  the  following 
day,  the  fanatical  Paulet  said  harshly  to  her,  that 
being  dead  according  to  law,  she  had  no  right  to 
the  insignia  of  royalty ;  and  he  believed  he  was 
doing  a  praiseworthy  act  when  he  covered  him- 
self rudely  and  sat  down  in  her  presence.  This 
act  of  rudeness  was  sensibly  felt  by  the  unfor- 
tunate queen. 

On  the  19th  of  December,  she  addressed  her 
last  requests  to  Elizabeth.  They  were,  that  she 
might  be  allowed  to  send  to  her  son  a  jewel  and 
her  blessing ;  that  her  corpse  might  be  conveyed 
to  France,  and  deposited  near  that  of  her  mother ; 
that  her  servants  might  be  allowed  to  retain  the 
small  bequests  which  she  intended  to  make  them ; 
and  that  she  might  be  executed  in  public.  In 
this  letter  she  carefully  avoided  every  expression 
which  might  be  interpreted  as  a  petition  for 
mercy.     After  having  given  thanks  to  Heaven 


*  See  Ap]jendix,  No.  12. 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


311 


for  giving  her  strength  to  support  so  much  in- 
justice, Mary  conchided  with  these  words  :  "  Do 
not  accuse  me  of  presumption,  if,  on  abandoning 
this  world  and  preparing  for  a  better,  I  warn  you 
that  you  will  one  day  have  to  render  an  account, 
as  well  as  those  who  go  before  you."  It  is  said 
that  Elizabeth  shed  tears,  and  answered  nothing; 
but  it  is  more  probable  that  this  letter  never 
reached  her. 

Meanwhile,  Henry  HI.,  though  he  sincerely 
hated  the  house  of  Guise,  could  not  see  with 
indifference  the  head  of  a  princess,  who  had  worn 
the  crown  of  France,  fall  beneath  the  axe  of  the 
executioner.  He  sent  an  ambassador  extraordi- 
nary, who  was  detained  by  various  obstacles, 
and  who  obtained  no  answer.  After  his  depart- 
ure, the  resident  ambassador  wished  to  resume 
negotiations ;  but  they  pretended  the  discovery 
of  a  conspiracy  in  which  he  himself  was  impli- 
cated ;  his  secretary  was  arrested,  and  his  papers 
seized.  After  the  death  of  the  queen,  apologies 
were  offered ;  false  information  was  alleged,  and 
the  ambassador  and  his  master  were  loaded  with 
compliments  and  praise.  Henry  III.  was,  in- 
deed, somewhat  feared.  The  King  of  Scotland 
interceded  eagerly,  and  joined  menaces  to  en- 
treaties ; .  but  if  he  was  sincere,  he  committed  the 


312 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


inexcusable  fault  of  employing  the  same  Gray, 
whose  perfidy  had  akeady  rendered  a  former 
negotiation  abortive.  In  public.  Gray  solicited 
earnestly ;  in  private,  he  urged  Elizabeth  with 
all  his  power  to  immolate  her  victim,  and  inti- 
mated that  James  would  not  be  sorry  to  be  rid 
of  his  mother.* 

After  the  publication  of  the  sentence,  Eliza- 
beth spent  two  months  in  a  state  of  apparent 
irresolution ;  but  she  was  often  heard  to  lament 
that  among  the  thousands  of  men  who  professed 
attachment  for  her,  not  one  would  spare  her  the 
necessity  of  dipping  her  hands  in  the  queen's 
blood.  Once  she  even  said,  "  Surely  Paulet  and 
Drury  "  —  the  latter  had  been  lately  appointed 
additional  keeper  of  ]Mary  —  "  might  ease  me 
of  this  burden.    Walsingham  and  yourself,"  said 

*  "Meantime,  vrhile  the  hated  object  of  her  guilty  purpose  was 
submitting  to  her  hard  destiny  with  the  dignity  of  a  queen  and  the 
resignation  of  a  martyr,  Elizabeth  was  distracted  with  gloomy  and 
perplexing  thoughts.  She  gave  herself  up  to  solitariness,  sat  mute, 
and  was  frequently  heard  to  sigh  deeply,  and  mutter  to  herself,  Aut 
fer,  aut  feri  —  Either  bear  with  her,  or  strike  home  ;  alluding,  says 
Camden,  to  a  certain  emblem,  Xe  feriari,  feri  —  Strike,  lest  thou 
be  stricken.  In  this  temper  of  her  mind  there  was  one  at  her  elbow 
to  prompt  dark  counsels,  which,  however,  were  but  little  needed. 
Mortua  non  mordet — The  dead  bite  not — was  a  well-timed  saw, 
whispered  in  her  ear  by  the  treacherous  Master  of  Gray." — Walter's 
Journal  of  Mary's  Cajjtivity. 


LIFE   OF   MARY   STUART.  313 

she  to  Davison,  her  secretary,  "  must  sound  their 
disposition."  Elizabeth  had  already  endeavored 
to  excite  the  imagination  and  devotedness  of 
Paulet  by  writing  a  letter  to  him,  in  which  she 
loads  him  with  praise  and  flattery,  styling  him 
my  Amias,  my  most  faithful  servant,  and  promis- 
ing him  an  extraordinary  reward,  non  omnibus 
datum. 

In  compliance  with  the  queen's  wishes,  a  let- 
ter was  forwarded  to  Paulet  and  Drury,  in  which 
they  were  informed  that  the  queen  complained 
of  their  lack  of  zeal,  otherwise  they  would  have 
already  terminated  the  captive's  days.  Had  they 
not  taken  the  oath  of  association  ?  What  mo- 
tive should  restrain  them,  now  that  Mary  was 
tried  and  condemned  ?  Paulet  answered  imme- 
diately that  his  goods  and  life  were  at  the  queen's 
disposal,  but  that  he  would  not  shed  another's 
blood  without  being  authorized  by  law  or  war- 
rant. On  the  1st  of  February,  Elizabeth  for- 
bade Davison  taking  the  executioner's  warrant 
to  the  chancellor ;  and  when  she  learned  that  the 
seal  had  been  already  affixed,  she  expressed  her 
surprise  and  her  persuasion  that  the  death  of  the 
Scottish  queen  might  be  better  accomplished  by 
some  other  expedient.  The  following  day  she 
repeated  the  same  language ;  and  when  she  saw 
27 


314 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


the  answer  of  Patilet,  he  was  no  longer  her 
Amias,  her  most  faithful  servant,  but  a  precise 
and  dainty  fellow^  who  promised  much  and  per- 
formed nothing,  who  would  perjure  himself  in 
order  to  shift  the  blame  from  his  own  shoulders 
upon  hers. 

Davison  now  felt  alarmed.  From  the  ambigu- 
ous language  of  the  queen,  ^le  knew  not  whether 
to  detain  or  to  forward  the  waiTant ;  and,  to  ex- 
onerate himself,  he  delivered  it  to  Lord  Bur- 
leigh, from  whom  he  had  received  it  originally. 
That  noble  assembled  a  council,  (4th  of  Febru- 
ary,) by  which  it  was  decided  that  the  queen  had 
done  all  that  could  be  expected  of  her,  and  that 
it  was  now  the  duty  of  the  council  to  assume 
the  responsibility  of  the  execution.  Conse- 
quently the  secretary  of  the  council  was  ordered 
to  expedite  the  warrant.  On  the  7th,  Earl  Mar- 
shal Shrewsbury  was  announced  to  the  Queen 
of  Scots ;  his  presence  at  Fotheringay  instantly 
suggested  the  fatal  object  of  his  visit.  The 
queen  immediately  rose  from  her  bed,  dressed, 
and  seated  herself  near  a  small  table,  after  hav- 
ing ranged  her  servants  and  women  on  each  side. 
The  earl  entered  uncovered,  followed  by  the  Earl 
of  Kent,  the  sheriff,  and  several  gentlemen  of  the 
county. 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


315 


Mary  heard  the  warrant  read  without  exhibit- 
ing any  emotion.  The  reading  concluded,  she 
crossed  herself,  and  said  the  day  she  had  desired 
had  at  last  arrived ;  she  could  not  terminate  the 
twenty  years  of  captivity  she  had  undergone  in 
a  more  glorious  manner  than  by  shedding  her 
blood  for  her  religion.  She  then  enumerated  the 
wrongs  she  had  suffered,  the  offers  which  she  had 
made,  and  the  artifices  employed  by  her  enemies; 
and  in  conclusion,  placing  her  hand  on  a  Testa- 
ment which  was  on  the  table,  she  added,  "  As 
for  the  death  of  the  queen,  your  sovereign,  I  call 
God  to  witness  that  I  never  imagined  it,  never 
sought  it,  nor  ever  consented  to  it."  "  That 
book,"  said  the  fanatical  Kent,  "  is  a  popish  Tes- 
tament, and  therefore  the  oath  is  null."  "  It  is  a 
Catholic  Testament,"  rejoined  the  queen;  "for 
that  reason  I  esteem  it  the  more,  and  for  the 
same  reason  you  should  regard  my  oath  as  the 
most  sacred  I  can  take."  Kent  then  exhorted 
her  to  renounce  all  papistical  superstition,  save 
her  soul,  and  accept  the  spiritual  assistance  of 
the  Dean  of  Peterborough,  a  learned  theologian. 
Mary  requested  that  they  would  allow  her  that 
of  her  almoner,  which  was  harshly  refused,  on 
the  ground  that  to  yield  to  her  request  would  be 
to  expose  the  welfare  of  the  souls  of  the  com- 


316 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


missioners  in  another  world,  and  their  personal 
safety  in  this.  A  desultory  conversation  fol- 
lowed ;  afterwards,  turning  towards  Shrewsbury, 
she  inquired  when  she  was  to  suffer ;  to  which 
the  earl  answered,  with  considerable  agitation, 
"  To-morrow  morning,  at  eight  o'clock."  It  is 
said  that  when  the  earl  was  about  to  withdraw, 
Mary  inquired  what  had  become  of  Nau,  and  on 
learning  that  he  was  still  in  prison,  she  exclaimed 
that  Nau  was  the  cause  of  her  death,  and  that 
he  had  brought  her  to  the  scaffold  to  save  his 
own  life.  She  had  nevertheless  heard  her  sen- 
tence with  such  calmness  and  dignity  as  to  strike 
the  beholders  with  respect  and  pity. 

When  the  earls  had  departed,  all  her  attend- 
ants burst  into  groans  and  sobs  ;  but  she  imposed 
silence  on  them,  saying, "  This  is  not  the  time  to 
weep,  but  to  rejoice.  In  a  few  hom-s  all  my 
misfortunes  will  be  over.  My  enemies  may  now 
say  what  they  please  ;  but  the  Earl  of  Kent  has 
betrayed  the  secret,  that  my  religion  is  the  real 
cause  of  my  death.  Be  then  resigned,  and  leave 
me  to  my  devotions."  She  immediately  com- 
menced praying,  and  after  some  time  was  called 
to  supper.  She  ate  sparingly,  but  before  leaving 
the  table,  drank  the  health  of  her  servants,  who 
asked  her  pardon  on  their  knees  for  any  faults 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


317 


they  had  committed  in  her  service.  She  forgave 
them  cheerfully,  asking  forgiveness  of  them  in 
her  turn,  if  she  had  at  any  time  treated  them 


their  future  conduct,  and,  it  is  said,  again  men- 
tioned her  conviction  that  Nau  was  the  cause  of 
her  death. 

Mary  passed  a  part  of  the  last  night  of  her 
life  in  regulating  her  domestic  affairs,  in  making 
her  will,  and  in  writing  three  letters,  one  to  her 
confessor,  one  to  her  cousin  of  Guise,  and  the 
other  to  the  King  of  France.  She  then  occu- 
pied herself  with  various  exercises  of  devotion, 
with  her  two  maids  of  honor,  Jane  Kennedy  and 
Elspeth  Curie.  About  four  in  the  morning  she 
retired  to  rest,  but  was  observed  not  to  sleep. 
Her  lips  were  in  constant  motion,  and  her  mind 
seemed  absorbed  in  prayer.*    At  early  dawn  she 

♦  It  was  during  these  solemn  moments  that  tradition  says  she  com- 
posed the  following  rhythmical  prayer,  the  touching  pathos  and  sim- 
plicity of  which  go  to  every  heart :  — 

0  Domine  Deus,  0  my  Lord  and  my  God, 


unkindly.     She  then  gave  them  some  advice  for 


Speravi  in  Te ; 
0  care  mi  Jesu, 


All  my  hopes  are  in  Thee ; 


Nunc  libera  me. 


In  my  need,  dearest  Jesu, 
0  succor  thou  me ! 


In  durS  catena, 
In  miserSL  poena,, 
Desidero  Te ! 


'Midst  fetters  deep-galling. 


'Midst  ills  deep-inthralling. 
My  heart  yearns  for  Thee ! 


27* 


318 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


summoned  her  servants,  read  her  will  to  them, 
distributed  among  them  her  money  and  clothes, 
and  bade  them  adieu,  kissing  the  women,  and 
giving  the  men  her  hand  to  kiss.  Weeping,  they 
followed  her  into  her  oratory,  where  she  took  her 
place  in  front  of  the  altar ;  they  knelt  down  and 
prayed  behind  her. 

About  seven  o'clock  the  doors  of  the  great 
hall  of  the  castle  were  thrown  open.  A  scaffold 
had  been  erected  in  the  middle,  which  was  cov- 
ered with  black  serge,  and  surrounded  with  a 
low  railing.  The  gentlemen  of  the  county  en- 
tered, with  their  attendants ;  these  and  Paulet's 
guard  augmented  the  number  of  spectators  to 
about  two  hundred.  A  little  before  eight  o'clock 
a  message  was  sent  to  the  queen,  who  answered 
that  she  would  be  ready  in  half  an  hour.  At 
the  expiration  of  that  time,  Andrews,  the  sheriff, 
entered  the  oratory ;  the  queen  immediately 
arose,  taking  the  crucifix  from  the  altar  in  her 
right  hand,  and  carrying  her  prayer  book  in  her 
left.  Her  servants  wished  to  follow  her,  but 
were  forbidden ;  they  insisted ;  but  the  queen 

Languendo,  gemendo,  AYbile  in  anguish  I  languish, 

Et  genuflectendo,  Thus  kneeling  before  Thee, 

Adoro,  imploro,  I  adore,  I  implore  Thee, 
Ut  liberes  me!  In  my  need  succor  me! 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART, 


319 


bade  them  desist,  and,  turning,  gave  them  her 
blessing.  They  received  it  on  their  knees,  some 
kissing  her  hands,  others  her  mantle.  The  door 
closed,  and  a  burst  of  lamentation  from  those 
within  resounded  through  the  hall. 

Mary  was  now  joined  by  the  earls  and  her 
wardens.  At  the  foot  of  the  staircase  she  was 
met  by  Melville,  the  steward  of  her  household, 
who  had  been  excluded  from  her  presence  for 
several  weeks.  This  old  and  faithful  servant 
cast  himself  on  his  knees  before  her,  and,  wring- 
ing his  hands,  exclaimed,  "  Ah,  madam,  unhappy 
that  I  am  I  was  ever  man  on  earth  the  bearer  of 
such  sorrow  as  I  shall  be  when  I  report  that  my 
good  and  gracious  queen  and  mistress  was  be- 
headed in  England  ?  "  Here  grief  impeded  his 
utterance.  "  Good  Melville,"  said  the  queen  to 
him,  "  cease  to  lament ;  thou  hast  rather  cause 
to  joy  than  mourn ;  for  this  day  shalt  thou  see 
the  end  of  Mary  Stuart's  troubles.  Know  that 
this  world  is  but  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit. 
Bear  witness,  I  pray  you,  that  I  die  a  true  woman 
to  my  religion,  firm  in  my  fidelity  to  Scotland, 
and  unchanged  in  my  affection  to  France.  May 
God  forgive  them  that  have  long  thirsted  for  my 
blood,  as  the  hart  doth  for  brooks  of  water.  O 
God!  thou  art  the  author  of  truth,  and  truth 


820 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


itself.  Thou  knowest  the  inner  chamber  of  my 
thoughts,  and  that  I  always  wished  the  union 
of  England  and  Scotland.  Commend  me  to 
my  son,  and  tell  him  that  I  have  done  nothing 
prejudicial  to  the  dignity  or  independence  of  his 
crown,  or  favorable  to  the  pretended  superiority 
of  our  enemies."  Then  bursting  into  tears,  she 
said,  "  Good  Melville,  adieu ! "  and  kissing  him, 
"  Once  again,  good  Melville,  farewell,  and  pray 
for  thy  mistress  and  queen."  It  was,  it  is  said, 
the  first  time  in  her  life  that  she  had  been  known 
to  address  any  one  by  the  pronoun  thou. 

After  this  affecting  scene,  she  made  her  last 
request,  that  her  servants  might  be  present  at  her 
death.  But  Kent  objected  that  they  would  be 
troublesome  by  their  grief  and  lamentations; 
might  practise  some  superstitious  mummery; 
perhaps  might  dip  their  handkerchiefs  in  her 
grace^s  blood.*  "  My  lords,"  said  Mary,  "  I  will 
give  my  word  for  them.  They  shall  deserve  no 
blame.  Surely  your  mistress,  being  a  maiden 
queen,  will  vouchsafe,  in  regard  of  womanhood, 
that  I  may  have  some  of  my  women  about  me 
at  my  death."  Receiving  no  answer,  she  con- 
tinued :  "  You  might,  I  think,  grant  me  a  far 

•  The  wicked  Kent  used  the  expression  her  grace,  instead  of  her  - 
mcyesty,  to  show  that  he  did  not  consider  her  a  queen. 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART.  321 

greater  courtesy  were  I  a  woman  of  lesser  call- 
ing than  the  Queen  of  Scots."  The  two  earls 
still  remaining  silent,  she  asked,  with  vehemence, 
"  Am  I  not  the  cousin  of  your  queen,  a  descend- 
ant of  the  blood  royal  of  Henry  VII.,  a  married 
queen  of  France,  and  the  anointed  queen  of 
Scotland  ? "  The  fanaticism  of  the  Earl  of 
Kent  and  the  attendant  lords  could  not  with- 
stand so  commanding  an  appeal;  and  it  was 
resolved  to  admit  four  of  her  men  and  two  of 
her  women  servants.  She  selected  her  steward, 
Melville,  and  her  physician,  apothecary,  and  sur- 
geon, with  her  maids,  Kennedy  and  Curie. 

The  melancholy  procession  now  moved  for- 
ward, headed  by  the  sheriff  and  his  officers  ;  next 
followed  the  wardens,  Paulet  and  Drury,  and  the 
two  earls;  lastly  came  the  queen,  clad  in  her 
richest  dress,  with  Melville  bearing  her  train. 
Her  headdress  was  of  fine  lawn,  edged  with 
rich  lace,  with  a  veil  of  the  same,  thrown  back 
and  reaching  to  the  ground.  She  wore  a  mantle 
of  black  printed  satin,  lined  with  black  taffeta, 
and  faced  with  sables,  with  a  long  train  and 
open  sleeves  hanging  to  the  ground.  The  but- 
tons were  of  jet,  in  the  form  of  acorns,  and  set 
round  with  pearls  ;  the  collar  d  Vltalienne.  Her 
purpoint  (surcoat)  was  of  black  figured  satin, 


322  LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 

and  under  it  a  bodice,  unlaced  on  the  back,  of 
crimson  satin,  with  the  skirt  of  crimson  velvet. 
A  pomander  chain  with  a  cross  of  gold  was  sus- 
pended from  her  neck,  and  a  pair  of  beads  from 
her  waist. 

Mary  entered  the  hall  with  a  firm  and  assured 
step,  and  did  not  shrink  at  the  sight  of  the  scaf- 
fold, the  fatal  block,  and  the  executioner.  To 
aid  her  in  mounting  the  scaffold,  Paulet  offered 
his  arm.  "  I  thank  you,  sir,"  said  Mary  ;  "  it  is 
the  last  trouble  I  shall  give  you,  and  the  most 
acceptable  service  you  have  ever  rendered  me." 
She  seated  herself  in  the  place  prepared  for  her. 
On  her  right  stood  the  two  earls,  on  her  left  the 
sheriff  and  Beale,  the  clerk  of  the  council,  in 
front  the  executioner  from  the  Tower,  in  a  suit 
of  black  velvet,  and  his  assistant,  also  clad  in 
black.  The  warrant  for  her  execution  was  then 
read  by  Beale,  and  immediately  after  Mary  ad- 
dressed the  assembly  in  a  firm  and  audible  voice. 
"  Gentlemen,"  said  she,  "  I  would  have  you  re- 
member, that  I  am  a  sovereign  princess,  not  sub- 
ject to  the  Parliament  of  England,  but  brought 
hither  to  suffer  by  injustice  and  violence.  I  thank 
God,  however,  for  giving  me  this  opportunity  to 
make  a  public  profession  of  my  faith.  I  declare 
that  I  die,  as  I  have  lived,  in  the  bosom  of  the 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


323 


Roman  Catholic  and  Apostolic  Church ;  I  de- 
clare, besides,  that  I  have  never  imagined,  nor 
compassed,  nor  consented  to,  any  plot  against  the 
life  of  the  Queen  of  England,*  to  whom  I  have 
never  wished  any  harm.  I  pardon  all  those 
who  have  pursued  me  so  implacably  for  twenty 
years  " 

Fletcher,  Dean  of  Peterborough,  whom  the 
Earl  of  Kent  considered  a  great  theologian,  but 
who,  on  this  fatal  day,  showed  only  a  bitter,  im- 
perious, and  unjust  zeal,  hastily  interrupted  the 

*  It  is  possible  that  after  twenty  years'  captivity,  as  severe  as  it 
was  unjust,  Mary  Stuart  desired  the  death  of  Elizabeth,  as  likely  to 
restore  her  to  liberty ;  but  the  question  was  not  if  she  had  that  desire, 
but  if  she  had  really  kno^vn  and  favored  Babington's  project.  The 
negative  appears  to  be  the  manifest  conclusion.  The  whole  testi- 
mony against  her  consists  in  a  copy  of  a  letter  pretended  to  have 
been  written  by  her  ;  but  the  simple  copy  of  a  non-produced  paper  is 
without  weight  in  law.  The  declaration  of  Babington,  who  does  not 
affirm,  but  who  only  believes  that  the  copy  resembles  the  original 
letter,  can  but  create  a  simple  doubt,  which  is  destroyed  by  the  posi- 
tive denial  of  Mary.  The  declaration  of  the  secretary  Nau  —  a  decla- 
ration which  was  not  refuted,  because  this  man  was  never  confronted 
with  her  whom  he  accused  —  merits  very  little  confidence,  especially 
when  it  is  considered  that  during  the  queen's  last  moments,  Nau 
tranquilly  awaited  in  Walsingham's  residence  an  opportunity  to  re- 
turn to  France.  Sir  Walter  Scott,  in  his  History  of  Scotland,  although 
he  shows  himself  on  all  occasions  an  enemy  to  Catholics,  says  ex- 
pressly that  the  proofs  alleged  against  the  Queen  of  Scots  were  such 
that  the  life  of  the  nlest  criminal  would  not  have  beeii  endangered 
by  them,  and,  nevertheless,  the  commissioners  had  the  base  cruelty 
to  condemn  a  queen. 


324 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


queen  to  inform  her,  in  a  brutal  tone,  that  his 
mistress,  Queen  Elizabeth,  although  compelled  to 
execute  justice  on  her  body,  was  careful  of  the 
welfare  of  her  soul ;  that  she  had  sent  him  to  bring 
her  to  the  true  fold  of  Christ,  out  of  the  commu- 
nion of  which  church  if  she  remained,  she  must 
be  damned  ;  that  she  might  yet  find  mercy  before 
God,  if  she  would  repent  of  her  wickedness,  ac- 
knowledge the  justice  of  her  punishment,  and 
profess  her  gratitude  for  the  favors  she  had  re- 
ceived from  Elizabeth. 

Mary  repeatedly  requested  Dr.  Fletcher  not  to 
trouble  himself  and  her.  "  O  my  God ! "  said 
she,  "  why  have  you  permitted  this  man  to  oc- 
cupy these  bitter  moments !  Ah,  since  you  yet 
reserve  this  trial  for  me,  at  least  give  me  strength 
to  bear  it  without  a  murmur."  He  persisted  : 
she  turned  aside.  Then  this  madman,  making 
the  circuit  of  the  scaffold,  again  addressed  her  in 
front.*  Shrewsbury  partly  concluded  this  scan- 
dalous scene  by  ordering  Fletcher  to  pray.  He 
obeyed  with  ill  grace,  and  his  prayer  was  only  a 
continuation  of  his  exhortation. 

*  Such  treatment  as  this  on  the  part  of  a  dignitary  of  the  church 
could  only  have  been  the  effect  of  instruction  from  his  superiors. 
There  are  evidences  that  he  hoped  by  brutality  like  this  to  commend 
himself  at  court.  He  was  shortly  after  made  Bishop  of  London.  — 
Robertson. 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


325 


Mary  did  not  listen,  but  prayed  fervently,  and 
recited  in  a  loud  voice,  and  in  the  Latin  language, 
long  passages  from  the  book  of  Psalms.  When 
the  dean  had  concluded,  she  prayed  in  English 
for  the  Catholic  Church,  for  her  son,  and  for 
Elizabeth,  and  protested  her  innocence  for  the 
last  time,  praying  Heaven  to  refuse  her  mercy 
if  she  spoke  not  the  truth.  "  I  pray  Thee  that 
my  soul  may  be  perpetually  deprived  of  all  par- 
ticipation in  your  mercy  and  grace,  and  of  the 
hoped-for  and  expected  fruit  of  the  death  and 
passion  of  your  most  dear  Son  ! "  On  conclud- 
ing her  prayer,  she  held  up  the  crucifix,  and  ex- 
claimed, "  As  thy  arms,  O  my  Saviour,  were 
extended  on  the  cross,  so  receive  me  into  the 
arms  of  thy  mercy,  and  pardon  all  my  sins  I " 

All  those  present,  though  Protestants  with  the 
exception  of  Mary's  servants,  being  moved  with  a 
holy  respect,  awaited  in  mournful  silence  the  close 
of  this  terrible  drama.  The  Earl  of  Kent  alone 
had  the  heinous  courage  to  insult  Mary's  religious 
sentiments  by  crying  out  to  her  to  lay  aside  such 
popish  trumperies.  At  this  moment  the  two 
maids  of  honor,  bathed  in  tears,  commenced  un- 
robing their  mistress ;  but  the  executioners,  fearful 
of  losing  their  usual  perquisites,  hastily  inter- 
28 


326 


LIFE  OF  MARY  STUART. 


fered.*  The  queen  at  first  remonstrated  ;  but  a 
moment  after  receiving  this  humiliation,  she 
submitted  to  their  rudeness,  observing  to  the 
earls  with  a  smile,  that  she  was  not  accustomed 
to  undress  in  the  presence  of  so  numerous  a 
company,  nor  be  served  by  such  valets. 

At  the  sight  of  their  sovereign  in  so  forlorn  a 
condition,  Mary's  attendants  could  no  longer 
suppress  their  feelings  :  but  she  made  them  an 
expressive  sign  to  keep  silence,  gave  them  her 
blessing,  and  solicited  their  prayers.  Kennedy 
then  taking  a  handkerchief,  edged  with  gold, 
pinned  it  over  her  eyes :  the  executioners,  hold- 
ing her  by  the  arms,  led  her  to  the  block,  on 
which  would  close  her  doom  ;  and  the  queen, 
kneeling  down,  said  repeatedly,  "  Into  thy  hands, 
O  Loi'd,  I  commend  my  spirit."  At  this  mo- 
ment sobs  and  groans  burst  from  the  spectators, 
and  disconcerted  the  headsman.  He  trembled, 
missed  his  aim,  and  inflicted  a  deep  wound  in 
the  lower  part  of  the  skull.  The  queen  remained 
motionless  ;  and  at  the  third  stroke  her  head  was 
severed  from  her  body.  When  the  executioner 
held  it  up,  the  muscles  of  the  face  were  so 
strongly  convulsed,  that  the  features  of  the  Queen 

*  All  these  articles  were  claimed  by  the  executioner,  but  were 
relinquished  by  him  for  a  sum  of  money. 


LIFE   OF   MARY  STUART. 


327 


of  Scots  could  be  with  difficulty  recognized. 
"  God  save  Queen  Elizabeth  !  "  cried  the  execu- 
tioner, as  usual,  holding  up  the  bloody  head. 
(8th  of  February,  1587.)* 

"  So  perish  all  her  enemies  ! "  subjoined  Dean 
Fletcher,  who  at  this  moment  undoubtedly  forgot 
that  he  was  a  minister  of  a  reUgion  of  peace, 
benevolence,  and  love  —  of  a  religion  which 
teaches  us  to  pardon  our  enemies,  that  we,  in  our 
turn,  may  obtain  pardon  for  our  sins.  Fletch- 
er's voice  would  have  found  no  echo  in  the  hall, 
had  not  the  savage  Kent  responded,  "  So  perish 
all  enemies  of  the  gospel  I "  These  demoniac 
words  died  away  under  the  arched  roof  of  the 
hall.  Every  one  retired  sadly,  wiping  away  by 
stealth  the  tears  of  which  malevolence  would 
have  made  a  crime  ;  it  would  have  been  a  crime, 
indeed,  to  have  dared  lament  and  admire  the  un- 
fortunate, the  noble  Mary  Stuart ! 


Father  Southwell,  the  celebrated  Jesuit  and 

*  The  queen's  corpse  was  embalmed  the  same  day  in  the  presence 
of  Paulet  and  the  sheriff,  and  deposited  in  a  leaden  coffin,  which 
was  left  in  the  same  hall  until  the  1st  of  August,  when  it  was  in- 
terred with  pomp  in  the  abbey  church  of  Peterborough.  Twenty-five 
years  later  it  was  transferred  to  Westminster,  by  order  of  James, 
October  11,  1612. 


328 


LIFE   OF  MARY  STUART. 


poet,  who  was  a  martyr  to  his  faith  under  Eliza- 
beth, (1595,)  has  left  an  Elegy  on  Mary's  death, 
an  extract  from  which  may  not  be  unacceptable 
to  the  reader  :  — 

Alive  a  queen,  now  dead  I  am  a  saint ; 

Once  Mary  called,  my  name  now  Martjrr  is : 
From  earthly  rule  debarred  by  long  restraint, 

Now  do  I  reign  supreme  in  heavenly  bliss. 

The  scaffold  was  my  couch,  where  ease  I  found, 

The  block  a  pillow  to  my  sainted  rest ; 
The  headsman  cast  me  in  a  blissful  swound ; 

His  axe  cut  off  sad  cares  from  cumbered  breast. 

Rue  not  my  death  — rejoice  at  my  repose ; 

It  was  no  death  to  me,  but  to  my  woe : 
The  bud  was  opened  to  let  out  the  rose. 

The  chain  unloos'd  to  let  the  captive  go. 


APPENDIX. 


28* 


(329) 


APPENDIX* 


No.  1. 

The  Queen  of  Scots  to  the  Archbishop  of 
Glasgow. 

Most  Reverend  Father  in  God  and  trusty- 
counsellor  :  We  greet  ye  well.  We  have  re- 
ceived this  morning  your  letters  of  the  27th  of 
January,  by  your  servant  Robert  Drury,  contain- 
ing in  one  part  such  advertisement  as  we  find  by 
effect  to  be  ever  true,  though  the  success  has  not 
altogether  been  such  as  the  authors  of  that  mis- 
chievous fact  had  preconceived  in  their  minds, 
and  would  have  put  in  execution,  if  God  in  his 
mercy  had  not  preserved  us  ;  and  reserved  us,  as 
we  trust,  to  the  end  that  we  may  take  a  vigorous 
vengeance  of  that  mischievous  deed,  which  ere 

*  The  letters  here  given  are  selected  from  Professor  Walter's 
Journal  of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots^  Captivity.  They  are  mostly 
translated  from  the  French. 

(331) 


332 


APPENDIX. 


it  should  remain  unpunished,  we  had  rather  lose 
life  and  all.  The  matter  is  horrible,  and  so 
strange,  that  we  believe  the  like  was  never  heard 
of  in  any  country.  This  night  past,  being  the 
9th  of  February,  a  little  after  two  hours  from 
midnight,  the  house  wherein  the  king  was  lodged 
was,  in  an  instant,  blown  into  the  air,  he  lying 
sleeping  in  his  bed,  and  with  such  vehemency, 
that  of  the  whole  lodging,  walls  and  all,  there  is 
nothing  remaining,  no,  not  a  stone  above  another, 
but  all  either  carried  far  away,  or  dung  in  dross 
[reduced  to  dust]  to  the  very  ground  stone.  It 
must  be  done  by  force  of  powder,  and  appears 
to  have  been  a  mine.  By  whom  it  has  been 
done,  or  in  what  manner,  appears  not  as  yet. 
We  doubt  not  but  according  to  the  diligence  our 
council  has  begun  already  to  use,  the  certainty  of 
all  shall  be  usit  [made  known]  shortly ;  and  the 
same  being  discovered,  which  we  wot  God  will 
never  suffer  to  lie  hid,  we  hope  to  punish  the 
same  with  such  rigor  as  shall  serve  for  example 
of  this  cruelty  to  all  ages  to  come.  "Whoever 
have  taken  this  wicked  enterprise  in  hand,  we 
assure  ourselves  it  was  dressed  [prepared]  as  well 
for  us  as  for  the  king ;  for  we  lay  the  most  part  of 
all  the  last  week  in  that  same  lodging,  and  were 
there  accompanied  by  the  most  part  of  the  lords 


APPENDIX. 


333 


that  were  in  this  town.  That  same  night,  at 
midnight,  and  of  very  chance,  we  tarried  not  all 
night,  by  reason  of  some  mask  in  the  abbey ;  but 
we  believe  it  was  not  chance,  but  God,  that  put 
it  in  our  head.  We  have  despatched  this  bearer 
upon  the  sudden,  and,  therefore,  write  to  you 
but  shortly.  The  rest  of  your  letter  we  shall  an- 
swer at  more  leisure,  within  four  or  five  days,  by 
your  own  servant.  And  so,  for  the  present,  we 
commit  you  to  Almighty  God. 

Marie  R. 

At  Edinburgh,  the  11th  day  of  February,  1567. 


No.  2. 

Mary  to  Elizabeth. 

Madam,  my  good  Sister  :  I  believe  you  are 
not  ignorant  how  long  it  is  since  certain  of 
my  subjects,  whom,  from  being  the  least  in  my 
kingdom,  I  raised  to  be  the  greatest,  have  endeav- 
ored to  involve  me  in  trouble,  and  have  made  it 
apparent  what  was  their  aim  from  the  beginning. 
You  know  how  they  proposed  to  seize  me  and 
the  late  king  my  husband,  from  which  attempt 
it  pleased  God  to  deliver  us,  and  to  permit  us  to 
drive  them  out  of  the  country;  where,  at  your 


334 


APPENDIX. 


request,  I  received  them  afterwards,  though  on 
their  return  they  committed  another  crime  in 
holding  me  a  prisoner,  and  killing  in  my  presence 
a  servant  of  mine,  I  being  at  the  time  far  ad- 
vanced in  a  state  of  pregnancy.  It  again  pleased 
God  that  I  should  escape  from  their  hands  ;  and, 
as  before  stated,  I  not  only  pardoned  them,  but 
received  them  again  into  favor.  Not  contented, 
however,  with  so  many  tokens  of  kindness,  they 
have,  notwithstanding  their  promises,  devised, 
promoted,  subscribed  to,  and  aided  in  the  com- 
mission of  a  crime,  for  the  purpose  of  falsely 
charging  it  upon  me,  as  I  hope  clearly  to  make 
appear  to  you.  Under  this  pretext,  they  took 
arms  against  me,  and  accusing  me  of  bad  coun- 
sel, they  pretended  a  desire  to  see  me  delivered 
from  bad  company,  in  order  to  show  me  various 
things  that  required  reformation.  Conscious  of 
my  innocence,  and  desirous  to  avoid  the  shedding 
of  blood,  I  committed  myself  to  their  hands,  be- 
ing willing  to  reform  whatever  was  amiss.  They 
immediately  seized  upon  me,  and  committed  me 
to  prison.  When  I  reproached  them  w4th  a 
breach  of  their  promise,  and  required  to  be  in- 
formed why  they  thus  treated  me,  they  all  kept 
away  from  my  presence :  I  then  demanded  to  be 
heard  in  council ;  this  was  refused  me.    In  short, 


APPENDIX. 


335 


they  sought  in  every  way  to  annoy  me;  they 
deprived  me  of  all  my  servants,  except  two  wo- 
men, a  cook,  and  a  surgeon.  They  threatened 
to  kill  me  if  I  did  not  sign  an  abdication  of  my 
crown ;  which  the  fear  of  immediate  death  caused 
me  to  do,  as  I  have  declared  before  the  whole 
nobility,  upon  testimony  I  hope  to  show  you. 
After  this,  they  again  called  me  to  account,  ac- 
cusing and  proceeding  against  me  in  Parliament, 
without  condescending  to  give  me  any  reason 
for  the  same,  without  granting  me  a  hearing, 
without  allowing  me  an  advocate  to  speak  for 
me,  compelling  every  one  to  acquiesce  in  their 
^  false  usurpation  of  my  power,  pillaging  me  of 
all  I  had  in  the  world;  never  permitting  me 
either  to  write  or  speak,  that  I  might  not  expose 
their  falsehoods  and  their  wicked  machinations. 
At  last,  it  has  pleased  God  to  deliver  me  from 
them,  at  the  very  moment  they  were  meditating 
to  put  me  to  death,  in  order  more  firmly  to 
insure  their  usurpations.  In  the  mean  time,  I 
repeatedly  offered  to  answer  any  thing  they  had 
to  allege  against  me,  and  to  assist  them  in  bring- 
ing the  guilty  to  punishment.  At  last,  it  has 
pleased  God  to  religase  me,  to  the  great  joy  of  all 
my  subjects,  except  Murray,  Morton,  the  Humes, 
Glencairn,  Marr,  and  Semple,  to  whom,  after  the 


336 


APPENDIX. 


whole  nobility  had  flocked  to  me  from  all  quar- 
ters, I  sent  to  say,  that,  notwithstanding  their 
ingratitude  and  cruelty  to  me,  I  willingly  invited 
them  to  return  to  their  duty,  offering  them  se- 
curity for  their  lives  and  their  fortunes,  and  prom- 
ising them  to  call  a  Parliament  for  the  adjust- 
ment of  every  difficulty.  Twice  did  I  send  to 
them.  They  seized  and  imprisoned  my  messen- 
gers, and  issued  proclamations,  declaring  all  who 
assisted  me  traitors,  and  enemies  of  their  country. 
A  second  time  did  I  send  to  them,  proposing  an 
accommodation ;  again  they  seized  my  messen- 
ger. I  sent  to  demand  a  safe  conduct  for  my 
Lord  Boyd,  whom  I  commissioned  to  treat  with 
them,  anxious  that  no  blood  should  be  shed  on 
my  account.  They  refused,  saying,  that,  unless 
all  my  followers  returned  to  their  duty  to  the 
regent,  and  to  my  son,  whom  they  style  king,  we 
should  be  abandoned  to  our  fate.  At  this  inso- 
lence all  my  nobility  were  greatly  offended,  and 
expressed  their  attachment  to  me  more  warmly 
than  ever.  I  was,  therefore,  in  hopes,  that,  in 
the  course  of  time,  and  with  your  power,  this 
faction  would  gradually  be  reduced.  In  the  mean 
time,  as  they  threatened  another  act  of  violence 
against  me,  swearing  that  they  would  effect  their 
purpose,  or  perish  in  the  attempt,  I  set  forward 


APPENDIX.  337 

to  Dumbarton,  passing  at  the  distance  of  two 
miles  from  them,  my  nobility  accompanying  me 
in  battle  array,  being  interposed  between  me  and 
the  rebels.  At  this  moment  an  effort  was  made 
to  cut  off  my  passage,  and  seize  my  person.  My 
troops  seeing  this,  and  irritated  at  an  advantage 
sought  to  be  gained  by  the  rebels  in  point  of 
position,  engaged  them  without  order,  so  that  it 
was  the  will  of  Heaven  they  should  be  discom- 
fited, and  that  many  should  be  slain  and  taken 
prisoners ;  some,  who  were  taken,  in  their  retreat, 
were  cruelly  put  to  death.  The  pursuit  was  im- 
mediately suspended,  in  order  to  seize  me  on  the 
way  to  Dumbarton,  and  bodies  of  troops  were 
despatched  in  every  direction  to  take  me,  dead 
or  alive.  But  God,  of  his  infinite  goodness,  has 
preserved  me  ;  I  escaped  to  my  Lord  Herries ; 
who,  with  other  gentlemen,  has  come  with  me 
into  your  country.  We  feel  assured,  that,  when 
you  are  informed  of  the  cruelty  of  my  enemies, 
and  of  the  manner  in  which  they  have  treated 
me,  you  v/ill,  agreeably  to  the  natural  kindness 
of  your  disposition,  and  the  faith  which  I  have 
in  you,  not  only  receive  me  for  the  security  of 
my  life,  but  aid  and  assist  me  in  my  just  cause. 
For  this  purpose,  I  mean  also  to  have  recourse 
to  other  princes,  to  interest  them  in  my  behalf. 
29 


338 


APPENDIX. 


I  beg  as  soon  as  possible  that  you  will  send 
for  me,  for  I  am  in  a  very  pitiable  condition,  not 
merely  for  a  queen,  but  for  a  gentlewoman.  I 
have  nothing  in  the  world  but  what  I  had  on 
my  person  when  I  escaped,  having  travelled  sixty 
miles  across  the  country  the  first  day,  and  not 
daring  to  proceed  afterwards  but  in  the  night 
time.  All  the  particulars  I  hope  to  declare  in 
your  presence,  if  it  please  you  to  have  pity,  as  I 
trust  you  will,  upon  my  extreme  misfortune.  I 
forbear  stating  more  of  my  grievances  at  present, 
in  order  not  to  importune  you.  I  pray  God  to 
give  you  health,  and  a  long  and  happy  life;  and 
to  me  patient  resignation,  and  that  solace  which 
I  hope  to  receive  from  your  sympathy  and  in- 
dulgence. 

Your  most  faithful  and  affectionate  good  sister 
and  cousin,  and  escaped  prisoner, 

Marie  R. 
From  "Workington,  this  VI th  day  of  May y  (1568.) 

No.  3. 

Mary  to  Elizabeth, 

Madam,  my  good  Sister:  I  thank  you  for 
the  desir©  which  you  have  to  hear  the  justifica- 


APPENDIX. 


339 


tion  of  niy  honor,  as  it  is  a  subject  that  concerns 
all  princes,  and  particularly  yourself,  to  whom  I 
have  the  honor  to  be  so  nearly  allied  by  blood ; 
but  it  does  appear  to  me,  that  they  who  persuade 
you  that  my  reception  will  turn  to  your  dishonor, 
maintain  the  very  contrary.  But,  ah,  madam, 
when  did  you  ever  hear  of  a  prince  blamed  for 
listening  in  person  to  the  complaints  of  those 
who  grieve  at  being  falsely  accused  ?  Banish 
from  your  mind,  madam,  the  idea  that  I  am 
come  here  for  the  safety  of  my  life  ;  neither  Scot- 
land nor  the  world  have  renounced  me.  I  am 
come  to  reclaim  my  honor,  and  to  sue  for  aid  to 
chastise  my  false  accusers ;  not  to  answer  them 
as  their  equals,  but  to  accuse  them  before  you, 
whom  I  have  chosen  among  all  other  princes,  as 
my  nearest  relative  and  perfect  friend ;  doing 
you,  as  I  wish  to  think,  an  honor  in  naming 
you  the  restorer  of  a  queen,  who  was  desirous  to 
receive  this  benefit  at  your  hands,  and  to  be 
grateful  for  the  same  dming  my  whole  life,  prov- 
ing my  innocence  before  your  very  eyes,  and 
convincing  you  how  falsely  they  have  dealt  with 
me.  But  I  see,  to  my  deep  regret,  that  things 
are  interpreted  otherwise.  As  to  what  you  tell 
me,  that  you  are  counselled,  by  persons  of  high 
consideration,  to  be  upon  your  guard  in  this 


340 


APPENDIX. 


affair,  God  forbid  that  I  should  be  the  cause  of 
your  dishonor ;  my  intention  being  the  very  con- 
trary. You  will,  therefore,  be  pleased,  since  my 
affairs  demand  such  great  despatch,  to  do  what 
other  princes  would  in  like  case  perform ;  and  in 
order  to  avoid  any  blame  in  that  regard,  permit 
me  to  have  recourse  to  those  who  will  receive 
me  without  any  fears  of  this  kind.  Take  any 
guarantee  from  me  you  think  fit,  that,  if  here- 
after required,  —  which  I  think  it  can  never  be,  — 
I  may  surrender  myself  and  my  cause  into  your 
hands.  But  now,  let  me  be  restored  to  my  state, 
replaced  in  my  honors,  and  vindicated  in  the 
eyes  of  the  world.  Then  will  I  come  to  lay  my 
cause  before  you,  and  to  justify  my  honor,  and 
that  from  the  friendship  which  I  bear  you,  and 
not  under  the  humiliating  necessity  of  replying 
to  my  false  subjects,  and  that  without  the  credit, 
as  it  appears  to  me,  which  is  given  to  those  who 
are  unworthy  of  the  same.  First,  extend  to  me 
your  favor  and  suitable  aid,  and  then  see  if  I  am 
worthy  of  the  same.  Should  the  reverse  prove 
true,  and  my  demands  be  found  unjust,  or  to 
your  prejudice  or  dishonor,  it  will  then  be  time  to 
discharge  yourself  of  me,  and  to  allow  me  to  seek 
my  fortune  elsewhere,  without  hinderance  or  mol- 
estation.   For,  being  innocent,  as  thank  God,  I 


APPENDIX. 


341 


know  myself  to  be,  do  not  wrong  me  by  keeping 
me  here  in  prison,  and  transferring  me,  as  it  were, 
from  one  prison  to  another,  encouraging  my 
enemies  to  persevere  in  their  false  and  obstinate 
accusations,  and  striking  terror  into  my  friends, 
and  disinclining  them  to  afford  me  the  aid  they 
had  promised.  All  the  good  and  the  honorable 
are  on  my  side ;  by  any  delay  I  may  lose  them, 
or  they  may  be  induced  to  change,  and  then 
should  I  have  to  begin  the  whole  work  anew. 

Through  my  regard  for  you,  I  have  pardoned 
those  who  now  seek  my  ruin,  of  which  I  may  be 
compelled  before  Heaven  to  accuse  you ;  and 
fearful  I  am  that  these  delays  of  yours  may  make 
me  lose  all.  Excuse  my  frankness ;  but  I  owe 
it  to  myself  to  speak  to  you  without  reserve. 
You  have  received  into  your  presence  a  bastard 
brother  of  mine,  who  is  a  fugitive  from  me  and 
from  justice ;  and  you  refuse  the  same  favor  to 
me,  though  I  come  to  you  in  the  justice  of  my 
cause,  and  which  I  fear  is  retarded  on  account 
of  that  very  justice ;  it  is  an  old-fashioned  way 
of  patching  up  a  bad  cause,  to  stop  the  mouth  of 
defenders.  I  know  it  was  the  object  of  John 
Wood's  commission  to  procure  this  delay,  the 
surest-  remedy  of  an  unjust  cause,  and  of  their 
usurped  authority.  I,  therefore,  entreat  you, 
29* 


342 


APPENDIX. 


either  to  aid  my  cause,  and  lay  me  under  an  ex- 
ternal obligation,  or  to  remain  neuter,  and  permit 
me  to  do  the  best  for  myself  elsewhere ;  for  by 
protracting  things,  you  will  do  more  to  ruin  me 
than  all  my  enemies  together.  If  you  are  in 
dread  of  blame,  at  least,  through  the  confidence 
I  have  reposed  in  you,  neither  stir  for  me  nor 
against  me.  Leave  me  at  full  liberty  to  vindi- 
cate my  honor ;  for  here  1  neither  can  nor  will 
answer  their  false  accusations.  My  desire  is,  in 
a  kind  and  friendly  way,  to  come  and  justify  my- 
self towards  you,  not  in  the  form  of  a  trial  with 
my  subjects,  unless  their  hands  were  tied.  No, 
madam,  there  is  nothing  in  common  between  me 
and  my  rebel  subjects  ;  and  as  to  treating  with 
them  here  as  my  equals,  I  would  rather  undergo 
death  itself  than  submit  to  such  indignity. 

And  now,  laying  aside  the  language  of  a  good 
sister,  let  me  beg  of  you,  madam,  by  your  honor, 
to  send  back  my  Lord  Herries  to  me  without 
delay,  with  assurances  of  that  aid  and  support 
which  he  has  requested  on  my  part.  I  have  been 
all  this  time  without  any  answer  from  yourself 
or  him,  or  any  assurance  thereupon.  I  have  also 
to  request  of  you,  that,  as  I  came  freely  to  render 
myself  into  your  hands,  where  I  have  been  so 
long  without  any  certitude,  to  command  my  Lord 


APPENDIX. 


343 


Scrope  to  permit  my  subjects,  to  the  number  of 
one,  two,  or  three,  to  have  liberty  to  come  and 
return,  that  I  may  not  be  deprived  of  all  intelli- 
gence with  my  subjects;  otherwise,  this  would 
be  to  cut  oft"  my  defence,  and  to  condemn  me 
unheard.  Would  to  God  you  could  have  known 
in  few  words  what  I  intended  to  say ;  I  would 
not  have  detained  you  so  long.  I  do  not  blame 
you  for  this  conduct  towards  me ;  but  I  hope,  in 
spite  of  all  their  specious  offers  and  falsely-col- 
ored discourses,  you  will  find  me  a  more  advan- 
tageous friend  to  you  than  they  can  be.  I  will 
enter  into  particulars  only  by  word  of  mouth. 
And  so  I  make  an  end  of  my  humble  recorn- 
mendations  to  your  good  grace,  praying  God  to 
grant  you,  madam,  my  good  sister,  good  health 
and  long  life. 

Your  very  good  sister  and  cousin, 

Marie  R. 

From  Carlisle,  {June  llih,  1568.) 

No.  4. 

Mai'i/  to  Elizabeths 

Madam  :  Though  the  necessity  of  my  cause 
makes  me  importunate,  yet  I  trust  that,  upon 


344 


APPENDIX. 


reflection,  you  will  not  find  me  unreasonable. 
Impartial  minds,  not  moved  by  the  feelings  by 
which  you  are  actuated,  Avould  think  that  I  do 
no  other  than  as  my  cause  requires.  Madam,  I 
do  not  believe  that,  of  yourself,  you  are  devoid 
of  good  inclination  towards  me  ;  but  there  are 
those  who  influence  your  mind ;  for  I  must  havo 
taken  leave  of  my  senses  not  to  perceive  a  very 
poor  fm'therance  of  my  affairs  since  my  coming 
hither.  I  thought  I  had  already  said  enough  to 
you  relative  to  the  inconveniences  which  delay 
brings  to  m}^  cause,  and  the  advantage  which  it 
gives  to  my  rebellious  subjects,  who,  I  am  told, 
intend  holdinsr  a  Parliament  next  month.  Anci 
then  the  dishonor  done,  to  listen  to  their  request 
to  have  commissioners  sent  to  be  heard  against 
me,  as  if  I  were  the  meanest  subject.  What  I 
asked  of  you,  madam,  was  permission  to  come 
to  your  presence,  and  make  my  statement  to  you 
relative  to  the  falsehoods  they  have  set  forth 
against  me.  If  I  could  not  clear  myself  of  the 
same,  then  you  might  discharge  yourself  of  my 
cause.  But  that  my  subjects  should  be  allowed 
to  come  as  my  agents  and  accuse  me,  of  that  I 
cannot  allow.  If  you  find  it  against  your  honor 
to  admit  me  to  your  presence,  suffer  me  at  least 


APPENDIX. 


345 


to  go  into  France,  where  I  have  a  dowry  for  my 
support. 

There  are  many  things  that  move  me  to  fear, 
that  I  shall  1iave  to  do  in  this  country  with  oth- 
ers than  w^ith  you.  But  inasmuch  as  nothing 
followed  upon  my  last  complaint,  I  hold  my 
peace.  Happen  what  may,  I  had  as  lief  abide 
my  fortune,  as  to  seek  it  and  not  find  it.  Fur- 
ther, it  pleased  you  to  give  license  to  my  subjects 
to  go  and  come ;  this  has  been  refused  me  by 
my  Lord  Scrope  and  Knollys,  as  they  say  by 
yom*  command,  because  I  would  not  depart 
hence  to  your  charge  till  I  had  answer  to  this 
letter ;  though  I  showed  them  that  you  required 
my  answer  upon  the  two  points  contained  in 
your  letter.  The  one  is,  to  let  you  briefly  under- 
stand, that  I  desire  to  come  to  you  to  make  my 
complaint,  which  being  heard,  I  would  declare 
to  you  my  innocency,  and  then  require  your  aid. 
And  for  lack  thereof,  I  cannot  but  make  my 
complaint  to  God,  that  1  am  not  heard  in  my 
just  quarrel ;  and  to  appeal  to  other  princes  to 
have  respect  thereto,  as  my  case  requires  ;  and  to 
you,  madam,  first  of  all,  when  you  shall  have 
examined  your  conscience, -and  have  him  for 
witness.    Again,  as  to  cQming  further  into  your 


346 


APPENDIX. 


country,  and  not  come  to  your  presence,  I  must 
esteem  that  as  no  favor,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
take  it  as  a  thing  forced.  In  the  mean  time,  1 
beseech  you  to  return  to  me  my  Lord  Herries, 
for  I  cannot  be  without  him,  having  none  of  my 
council  here  ;  and  also  to  suffer  me,  if  it  please 
you,  without  further  delay,  to  depart  hence, 
whithersoever  it  be,  out  of  this  country.  I  am 
sure  you  will  not  deny  me  this  simple  request, 
for  your  honor's  sake  :  the  naturaj  goodness  of 
your  heart  cannot  determine  otherwise.  Seeing 
that  of  my  own  accord  I  am  come  hither,  let  me 
depart  again  with  yours.  And  if  God  permit 
my  cause  to  prosper,  I  shall  be  bound  to  you  for 
it ;  and  if  it  happen  otherwise,  yet  I  cannot 
blame  you. 

As  for  my  Lord  Fleming,  since  upon  my  credit 
you  have  suffered  him  to  go  to  his  home,  I  war- 
rant you  he  will  pass  no  farther,  but  will  return 
when  it  shall  please  you.  Provided  you  trust 
me,  1  will  not,  to  die  for  it,  deceive  you.  With 
respect  to  Dumbarton,  I  answer  not  for  that, 
should  my  Lord  Fleming  be  in  the  Tower ;  for 
they  that  are  within  it  will  not  fail  to  receive 
succors,  if  I  do  not*  assure  them  of  yours.  No, 
they  would  not,  though  you  should  impute  to 


APPENDIX.  347 

me  the  consequences  ;  for  my  charge  to  them  has 
been,  to  have  more  respect  to  my  servants  and 
my  estate  than  to  my  life. 

Good  sister,  be  of  another  mind.  Win  the 
heart,  and  all  shall  be  yours  and  at  your  com- 
mand. I  thought  to  have  satisfied  you  wholly, 
if  I  might  but  have  seen  you.  Alas !  do  not  as 
the  serpent  doth  that  stoppeth  his  hearing,  for  I 
am  no  enchanter,  but  your  sister  and  natural 
cousin.  Had  not  Caesar  disdained  to  hear  or 
redress  the  complaint  of  an  applicant,  he  had 
not  died  as  he  did.  Why  should  princes'  ears  be 
stopped,  seeing  they  are  painted  in  large ;  mean- 
ing that  they  should  hear  all,  and  be  well  ad- 
vised before  they  answer.  I  am  not  of  the  nature 
of  the  basilisk,  and  less  of  the  chameleon,  to  turn 
you  to  my  likeness  ;  and  though  I  were  so  dan- 
gerous and  cursed  as  men  say,  you  are  suf- 
ficiently armed  with  constancy  and  with  justice, 
which  I  beg  of  God  to  give  you  his  grace  to  use 
well,  with  long  and  happy  life. 

Your  good  sister  and  cousin, 

Marie  R. 

Carlisle,  this  5th  of  Juhj,  1568. 


348 


APPENDIX. 


.    No.  5. 

Mary  to  Elizabeth* 

Madam  :  The  late  conspiracies  in  Scotland 
against  my  poor  child,  and  my  fears  for  the  con- 
sequence, grounded  on  my  self-experience,  call 
upon  me  to  employ  the  remainder  of  my  life  and 
strength,  fully  to  discharge  my  heart  of  my  just 
complaints,  which  I  do  in  the  present  letter.  I 
trust  that  as  long  as  you  survive  me,  it  may 
serve  as  an  eternal  testimony,  and  be  engraven 
on  your  conscience,  as  well  for  my  acquittance 
to  posterity,  as  for  the  shame  and  confusion  of 
all  those,  who,  under  your  connivance,  have  up 
to  this  hour  so  cruelly  and  unworthily  treated 
me,  and  reduced  me  to  the  extremity  in  which  I 

*  "Mary's  letters,"  says  Robertson  of  Dalmeny,  "are  numerous, 
able,  and  eloquent.  Among  tliem  is  particularly  to  be  mentioned  the 
letter  to  Elizabeth  on  occasion  of  the  captivity  of  her  son,  and  the 
machinations  against  herself  and  him,  abetted  by  the  English  queen. 
No  person  can  read  that  letter  without  a  certain  degree  of  astonish- 
ment. It  is  difficult  to  say,  whether  the  pathetic,  or  the  grand,  shine 
most  conspicuous.  To  it  the  admirers  of  Mary  may  refer,  as  a  ground 
of  their  panegyric,  whether  considered  in  reference  to  the  greatness 
of  mind  which  it  displays,  the  solemnity  that  reigns  throughout,  the 
piety  which  it  breathes,  the  chain  of  arguments  which  is  maintained, 
the  eloquence  with  which  it  glows,  or  the  bold  and  just  reproach  with 
which  it  fearlessly  brands  the  English  queen." 


APPENDIX.  349 

am.  But  as  their  designs  and  practices,  detes- 
table as  they  are,  have  always  prevailed  against 
my  just  remonstrances  and  honest  deportment, 
and  as  the  power  which  you  have  in  your  hands 
has  always  been  your  justification  in  the  eyes  of 
men,  I  will  have  recourse  to  the  living  God,  our 
only  Judge,  who,  under  him,  has  established  us 
equally  and  immediately  for  the  government  of 
his  people.  I  will  invoke  him,  in  the  extremity 
of  this  my  pressing  affliction,  to  render  to  you 
and  to  myself  (as  he  will  do  in  the  last  judg- 
ment) the  due  of  our  merits  and  demerits,  one 
towards  the  other.  And  remember,  madam, 
that  from  him  we  can  disguise  nothing  by  the 
paint  and  poKcy  of  the  world  ;  though  my  ene- 
mies, under  you,  have  been  able,  for  a  time,  to 
cover  from  the  eyes  of  men,  peradventure  from 
your  own,  their  subtle  inventions.  In  his  name, 
and  as  it  were  before  him,  seated  between  you 
and  myself,  I  would  remind  you,  that  by  means 
of  the  agents,  spies,  and  secret  messengers,  sent 
in  your  name  into  Scotland,  while  I  was  there, 
my  subjects  were  corrupted  and  encouraged  to 
rebel  against  me,  to  make  attempts  against  my 
person  ;  in  a  word,  to  speak,  undertake,  and  exe- 
cute all  that  led  to  the  troubles  which  have  be- 
fallen my  country. 

30 


350 


APPENDIX. 


During  my  imprisonment  in  Lochleven,  the 
late  Throgmorton  counselled  me  on  your  part  to 
sign  that  abdication,  which  he  told  me  it  was 
advisable  to  do,  assuring  me  that  it  would  not 
be  valid.  And  nowhere  in  Christendom  has  it 
since  been  held  as  valid,  or  maintained  as  such, 
except  by  you,  even  to  the  assisting  the  authors  of 
it  by  open  force.  On  your  conscience,  madam, 
would  you  have  recognized  an  equal  liberty  and 
power  in  your  own  subjects  ?  And  yet  by  the 
same  men  has  my  authority  been  transferred  to 
my  son,  and  that  too  when  he  was  incapable  of 
exercising  it.  And  when  I  afterwards  sought 
lawfully  to  assure  him  of  the  same,  he  being  of 
an  age  to  act  for  himself,  it  was  suddenly  wrested 
from  him,  and  assigned  over  to  two  or  three  trai- 
tors, who,  having  taken  from  him  the  effective- 
ness of  it,  will  take  from  him,  as  they  have  from 
me,  both  the  name  and  title,  and  perhaps  his 
life,  if  God  does  not  provide  for  his  preservation. 

When  I  had  escaped  from  Lochleven,  and  was 
ready  to  give  battle  to  the  rebels,  I  remitted  to 
you  by  a  gentleman  express  a  diamond  ring, 
which  I  had  formerly  received  as  a  token  from 
you,  under  the  assurance  of  being  succored  by 
you  against  my  rebellious  subjects ;  nay,  more, 
that  should  I  seek  refuge  with  you,  you  would 


APPENDIX. 


351 


come  to  the  very  frontier  to  assist  me ;  and  this 
was  confirmed  to  me  by  divers  messengers. 

This  promise,  coming  from  your  lips,  and 
being  repeated  by  you,  (though  I  had  oftentimes 
found  myself  abused  by  your  ministers,)  made 
me  place  such  trust  in  you,  that  when  my  army 
was  routed,  I  came  directly  to  throw  myself  into 
your  arms,  had  I  been  permitted  so  to  do.  But 
while  I  was  deliberating  about  repairing  to  you, 
there  was  I  arrested  half  way,  surrounded  by 
guards,  secured  in  strong  places,  and  at  last  re- 
duced, all  shame  set  aside,  to  the  captivity  in 
which  I  am  now  languishing,  after  the  thousand 
deaths  which  I  have  akeady  suffered  from  it.  I 
know  that  you  will  allege  against  me  what 
passed  between  the  late  Duke  of  Norfolk  and 
myself.  I  maintain  that  there  was  nothing  there- 
in to  your  prejudice,  nor  against  the  public  good 
of  your  realm ;  and  that  the  treaty  was  sanc- 
tioned by  the  advice  and  signatures  of  the  first 
men  then  in  your  council,  with  the  assurance  of 
obtaining  your  approval.  For  a  long  time  I 
have  been  trying  whether  patience  would  soften 
the  rigor  and  ill  treatment  which  for  these  ten 
years  past  they  have  made  me  suffer.  I  have 
strictly  followed  the  order  prescribed  me  in  my 
captivity  in  this  house,  as  well  in  regard  to  the 


352 


APPENDIX. 


number  and  quality  of  the  servants  retained  by 
me,  dismissing  the  others,  as  for  my  diet  and 
ordinary  exercise  for  my  health.  I  am  living  till 
the  present  as  quietly  and  peaceably  as  one 
much  inferior  to  myself,  submitting,  in  order  to 
take  away  every  shadow  of  distrust,  to  remain 
without  any  intelligence  of  my  son  and  my 
country,  which  by  no  right  or  reason  could  be 
denied  me,  especially  in  regard  to  my  child,  whom 
they  labored  in  every  way  to  prejudice  against 
me,  in  order  to  weaken  us  by  our  disunion. 

In  conclusion,  a  more  unworthy  treatment 
from  day  to  day,  in  spite  of  all  my  efforts  not  to 
deserve  it,  together  with  my  too  long,  useless, 
and  pitiful  patience,  have  reduced  me  so  low 
that  my  enemies,  in  their  habit  of  treating  me 
ill,  have  brought  themselves  to  think  that  they 
have  the  right  of  proscription  for  so  treating  me, 
not  as  a  prisoner,  which  in  reason  I  cannot  be, 
but  as  some  slave,  whose  life  and  death  depended 
solely  upon  their  tyranny. 

I  cannot,  madam,  submit  to  it  any  longer. 
Either  dying,  I  must  discover  the  authors  of  my 
death,  or,  living,  attempt,  under  your  protection, 
to  put  an  end  to  the  cruelties,  calumnies,  and 
traitorous  designs  of  my  enemies,  in  order  to 
insure  me,  for  the  remainder  of  my  days,  some- 


APPENDIX.  353 

what  more  of  rest  and  repose.  To  take  away 
the  pretended  occasions  of  difference  between 
us,  inform  yourself,  if  you  please,  of  the  truth 
of  all  that  has  been  reported  to  you  relative  to 
my  conduct ;  review  the  depositions  of  the 
strangers  taken  in  Ireland ;  let  those  of  the  Jes- 
uits recently  executed  be  represented  to  you; 
give  liberty  to  those  who  would  undertake  to 
charge  me  publicly,  and  permit  me  to  enter  upon 
my  defence.  If  any  evil  be  found  in  me,  let  me 
suffer,  which  I  shall  do  with  patience  when  I 
know  the  occasion  of  it;  if  any  good,  through 
the  high  charge  wherewith  you  are  invested  be- 
fore God  and  man,  suffer  me  not  to  be  worse 
treated  for  it.  The  vilest  criminals  in  your 
prisons,  born  under  your  jurisdiction,  are  admit- 
ted to  their  justification,  and  their  accusers  and 
their  accusations  are  always  declared  to  them. 
Why,  then,  shall  not  the  same  order  have  place 
towards  me,  a  sovereign  queen,  your  nearest  rel- 
ative and  lawful  heir?  This  last  relation  in 
which  I  stand  to  you  has,  methinks,  been  hither- 
to the  principal  cause  of  all  the  calumnies  de- 
vised against  me  by  my  enemies,  to  keep  us  in 
division,  by  insinuating  between  us  their  own 
unjust  pretensions.  But,  alas !  they  have  but 
little  reason  at  present  for  thus  tormenting  me ; 
30* 


354 


APPENDIX. 


for  I  protest  to  you,  upon  mine  honor,  that  I  look 
this  day  for  no  other  kingdom  than  that  of  my 
God,  for  which  I  feel  that  he  is  disposing  me  by 
those  best  of  all  preparations  —  suffering  and 
affliction.  There  can  be  little  temptation  for  me 
to  ambition  a  crown  w^hich  hitherto  has  been  to 
me  but  a  crown  of  thorns. 

This,  then,  will  be  to  you  a  monition  to  acquit 
your  conscience  towards  my  child,  as  to  what 
shall  belong  to  him  after  your  death.  In  the 
mean  time,  do  not  countenance  the  continual 
practices  and  secret  conspiracies  which  our  ene- 
mies in  this  realm  are  daily  devising  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  their  pretensions. 

And  now,  madam,  with  all  that  freedom  of 
speech  which  I  foresee  may  in  some  sort  offend 
you,  though  it  be  nought  but  the  truth,  you  will, 
I  doubt  not,  find  it  more  strange  that  I  now  come 
to  you  with  a  request  of  far  greater  importance, 
and  yet  very  easy  for  you  to  grant  me.  It  is 
that,  not  having  been  able  hitherto,  by  accommo- 
dating myself  patiently  for  so  long  a  time  to  the 
rigorous  treatment  of  this  captivity,  and  my 
carrying  myself  in  all  respects,  even  the  least 
that  regard  you,  to  obtain  any  assurance  of  your 
good  favor,  or  give  you  thereby  some  earnest  of 
my  entire  affection  towards  you ;  and  every  hope 


APPENDIX. 


355 


being  taken  away  of  better  treatment  for  tho 
short  time  that  is  still  left  me  to  live,  I  suppli- 
cate you,  by  the  bitter  passion  of  our  Saviour 
and  Redeemer,  Jesus  Christ,  to  allow  me  to 
withdraw  out  of  this  realm  into  some  place  of 
repose ;  to  seek  out  some  comfort  for  my  poor 
body,  worn  out  as  it  is  by  continual  sorrow,  and 
with  liberty  of  conscience  to  prepare  my  soul  for 
God,  who  is  daily  calling  me  to  himself. 

Believe  me,  madam,  or  rather  believe  the 
physicians  whom  you  sent  me  this  last  summer, 
as  they  have  witnessed  that  I  am  not  long  for 
this  world,  so  as  to  give  you  any  foundation  for 
jealousy  or  distrust  of  me.  And  yet  you  are 
free  to  receive  from  me  such  assurances,  as  well 
as  just  and  reasonable  conditions,  as  you  may 
think  necessary.  In  your  hands  is  the  power, 
and,  as  the  strongest,  you  may  still  doom  me  to 
a  confinement  which  I  little  wish  to  escape.  As 
you  have  had  sufficient  experience  of  my  obser- 
vance of  my  simple  promises,  nay,  sometimes  to 
my  prejudice,  as  I  showed  you  upon  this  point 
two  years  ago.  Recollect,  if  you  please,  what  I 
then  wrote  to  you,  that  nothing  can  bind  my 
heart  to  you  so  strongly  as  kindness ;  and  yet 
you  continue  to  keep  my  poor  body  languishing 
between  four  walls,  and  that  without  the  pros- 


856 


APPENDIX. 


pcct  of  relief;  ignorant,  it  should  seem,  of  the 
fact  that  persons  of  my  rank  and  disposition  are 
incapable  of  being  gained  over  or  forced  into 
compliance  by  any  rigor.  This  imprisonment 
of  yours,  founded  on  no  right  or  justice,  has 
already  destroyed  my  body,  whose  end  you  will 
shortly  see,  and  which  will  prevent  my  enemies 
from  much  longer  glutting  their  cruelty  upon 
me ;  as  for  my  soul,  that  is  my  own,  free  and 
untrammelled ;  all  your  power  cannot  make  that 
captive.  Allow  it,  then,  some  breathing  place, 
for  aspiring  a  little  more  freely  after  its  salvation, 
which  is  all  it  now  seeks,  indifferent  to  all  the 
pomps  and  vanities  of  the  world.  It  cannot, 
methinks,  be  any  great  satisfaction,  honor,  or 
advantage  to  you,  to  see  my  enemies  trample 
me  under  their  feet,  and  humble  me  in  the  dust 
under  your  very  eyes ;  whereas,  if  in  this  extrem- 
ity, however  late  it  may  be,  you  release  me  from 
their  grasp,  you  would  bind  me  and  all  who 
belong  to  me  in  the  strong  bonds  of  affection, 
and  more  particularly  my  poor  child,  whom  by 
such  a  measure  you  may,  perchance,  assure  to 
yourself  forever.  I  shall  not  cease  to  importune 
you  with  this  request  till  it  be  granted  me;  and 
on  this  I  pray  you  to  let  me  know  your  inten- 
tion, having  now  waited  your  pleasure  for  more 


APPENDIX. 


357 


than  two  years,  to  renew  my  entreaties  for  it, 
which  I  am  compelled  to  do  by  the  state  of  my 
health,  which  is  worse  than  you,  perhaps,  have 
been  led  to  imagine.  In  the  mean  time,  provide, 
if  you  please,  for  the  bettering  of  my  treatment, 
that  I  may  no  longer  suffer  as  I  have  done.  Re- 
mit me  not  to  the  discretion  of  any  other  what- 
ever, but  do  you  yourself,  to  whom  alone  (as  I 
wrote  to  you  lately)  I  wish  henceforward  to 
stand  indebted  for  all  the  good  or  all  the  evil 
that  I  am  to  receive  in  your  country.  Do  me 
this  favor,  to  let  me  have  your  determination  in 
writing,  or  the  French  ambassador  for  me.  As 
to  abiding  by  what  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury  or 
others  may  say  or  write  to  you,  I  have  had  too 
much  experience  to  place  any  reliance  on  them ; 
their  slightest  notion  or  fancy  being  sufficient  to 
change  to-morrow  what  may  be  done  to-day. 

Besides  this,  in  reply  to  what  I  lately  wrote  to 
those  of  your  council,  you  have  given  me  to 
understand  that  I  should  not  address  myself  to 
them,  but  to  you  alone.  It  is  surely  not  reason- 
able that  these  men  should  ill-treat  me  merely 
and  solely  to  extend  their  credit  and  authority, 
as  they  have  lately  done  by  these  new  restric- 
tions, and  whereby,  contrary,  I  doubt  not,  to 
your  intentions,  I  have  been  most  unworthily 


358 


APPENDIX. 


tre^ed.  This  gives  me  occasion  to  suspect  that 
some  of  my  enemies  in  your  council  have  ex- 
pressly contrived  that  the  rest  should  remain 
ignorant  of  my  just  complaints,  fearing,  perhaps, 
that  their  compeers  would  not  lend  themselves 
to  the  wicked  attempt  against  my  life,  or  that, 
if  they  had  knowledge  of  the  same,  they  would 
oppose  it  for  your  honor,  and  through  a  sense  of 
duty  towards  you.  In  a  word,  two  things  I 
have  formally  to  requke  :  the  one,  that,  approach- 
ing as  I  am  the  term  of  my  mortal  career,  I  may 
have  near  me  for  my  consolation  some  honora- 
ble churchman,  to  remind  me  daily  of  the  course 
I  have  to  finish,  that  I  may  order  my  life  accord- 
ing to  my  faith,  in  which  I  am  firmly  resolved 
to  live  and  die.  This  is  a  last  duty,  not  denied 
to  the  lowest  and  most  wetched  of  mortals. 
The  liberty  of  freely  exercising  their  religion  is 
what  you  grant  to  all  foreign  ambassadors,  as 
Catholic  kings  do  in  return  to  yours.  As  for 
myself,  I  never  forced  my  own  subjects  to  any 
thing  contrary  to  their  religion,  though  I  had  full 
power  and  authority  over  them ;  and  that  I,  in 
this  my  extremity,  should  be  deprived  of  such 
freedom  is  a  thing  that  you  cannot  in  justice 
require.  And  w^hat  advantage  will  redound  to 
you  if  you  refuse  me  this  request  ?    I  trust  that 


APPENDIX. 


359 


God  will  excuse  me,  if,  being  in  this  manner 
oppressed  by  you,  I  cease  not  to  render  him  such 
dutiful  homage  as  in  my  heart  I  am  permitted 
to  do.  Besides  this,  you  are  setting  a  very  bad 
example  to  the  other  princes  of  Christendom, 
teaching  them  to  employ  the  same  rigor  towards 
their  subjects  that  you  show  towards  a  sovereign 
queen  and  your  nearest  relative,  and  which  I  am 
and  shall  never  cease  to  be,  in  despite  of  my 
enemies. 

I  have  no  wish  now  to  importune  you  on  the 
augmentation  of  my  establishment,  with  which, 
for  the  short  time  of  life  that  remains  to  me,  I 
can  well  dispense.  All  that  I  ask  of  you,  then, 
is  two  waiting  women,  to  attend  me  during  my 
sickness,  declaring  before  God  that  they  are  very 
necessary  for  me,  and  that  it  is  no  more  than 
might  be  asked  by  a  poor  creature  among  the 
common  people.  In  the  name  of  God,  grant 
me  this  request,  and  thereby  show  that  my  ene- 
mies have  not  so  much  credit  wdth  you  against 
me  as  to  exercise  their  vengeance  and  cruelty  in 
a  point  of  so  little  moment,  and  connected  with 
a  simple  office  of  humanity. 

Resume,  madam,  the  ancient  pledges  of  your 
good  nature ;  be  again  in  heart  and  disposition 
what  you  were  before ;  bind  your  relations  to 


360 


APPENDIX. 


yourself,  and  grant  me  the  satisfaction,  ere  I  die^ 
to  see  every  thing  amicably  adjusted  between  us, 
so  that  my  soul,  when  delivered  from  this  body, 
may  not  be  compelled  to  pour  forthwith  lamen- 
tations before  God  for  the  wrongs  you  will  have 
suffered  to  be  done  me  here  below;  but  rather, 
that,  being  in  unison  and  peace  with  you,  it  may 
quit  this  captivity,  to  set  forwards  towards  Him 
whom  I  pray  to  inspire  you  with  a  sense  of  my 
just  and  reasonable  complaints. 

Your  very  disconsolate  nearest  relation  and 
affectionate  cousin,  Marie  R. 

At  Sheffield,  this  28th  of  Novetnber,  (1582.) 


No.  6. 

Marp  to  Elizabeth* 

April  30,  1584. 

*  *  *  The  countess  told  me,  as  nearly  as  I 
can  recollect,  in  the  following  words :  That  you 
were  as  vain,  and  had  as  lofty  an  opinion  of 
yom*  beauty,  as  if  you  had  been  some  heaven- 

*  This  celebrated  letter  was  written  by  Mary  to  Elizabeth,  in  com- 
pliance with  a  request  from  the  latter  to  give  a  faithful  statement  of 
whatever  Lady  Shrewsbury  had  said  in  her  hearing  to  the  prejudice 
of  her  character.  That  part  of  it  is  given  in  which  Lady  S.  is  sup- 
posed to  describe  Elizabeth's  excessive  vanity. 


APPENDIX.  361 

born  goddess.  That  you  took  so  much  delight 
in'  unmeasured  flattery,  as  to  be  led  to  avow  that 
there  were  people  who  durst  not  look  you 
straight  in  the  face,  as  it  shone  like  the  sun. 
That  she  and  the  other  ladies  of  the  court  found 
it  necessary  to  administer  flattery  to  you  in  the 
most  extravagant  doses.  That  at  the  last  visit 
which  she  and  the  late  Countess  of  Lennox  paid 
you,  in  repeating  the  dose  they  durst  not  look  at 
one  another,  lest  they  should  burst  with  laughter 
at  the  falsehoods  they  told  you ;  and  on  her 
return  she  begged  of  me  to  scold  her  daughter, 
to  keep  her  from  again  committing  herself ;  that 
as  to  her  daughter  Talbot,  she  durst  not  go  to 
you  with  her,  as  she  could  never  keep  from 
laughing  outright  in  your  face.  The  same  Lady 
Talbot,  when  she  went  to  give  her  attendance 
upon  you,  and  took  the  oath  as  one  of  your 
maids  of  honor,  returned  here  again  as  soon  as 
she  could,  begging  that  I  would  allow  her  to 
transfer  her  services  to  myself.  At  first  I  refused, 
but  at  last,  moved  by  her  tears,  I  consented. 
She  then  told  me  that  for  no  consideration  in 
the  world  would  she  remain  in  your  service,  or 
be  about  your  person,  as  she  was  afraid  that, 
w^hen  you  were  angry,  you  would  treat  her  as 
you  had  done  her  cousin  Skedmar,  whose  finger 
31 


362 


APPENDIX. 


you  broke,  and  then  made  the  court  believe  that 
a  candlestick  had  fallen  down  upon  it ;  and  that 
to  another  servant  you  had  given  a  furious  stroke 
of  a  knife  upon  the  hand.  In  a  word,  as  to  these 
last  points,  and  stories  of  the  same  kind,  that 
you  were  made  a  fool  of,  and  mimicked  by  them, 
as  in  a  comedy.  They  said  that  my  women, 
upon  hearing  these  farces,  would  enact  them 
over  together ;  upon  perceiving  which,  I  swear  to 
you  that  I  forbade  my  women  from  joining  any 
more  with  them. 


No.  7. 

Mary  to  Elizabeth. 

Madam  :  Upon  occasion  of  a  very  unfortu- 
nate and  lamentable  occurrence,  which  took 
place  the  day  before  yesterday  in  this  house, 
within  ten  paces  of  my  chamber,  and  almost  in 
full  view  of  my  windows,  namely,  the  violent 
death  of  a  poor  young  man,  a  Catholic,  as  it  is 
said,  imprisoned  here  so  near  me  these  three 
weeks,  and  solely  on  account  of  his  religion,  as 
the  violence  publicly  exercised  against  him  de- 
monstrates, it  is  necessary  for  me  to  represent 
to  you  how  much  I  consider  this  event  as  import- 


APPENDIX. 


363 


ing  me  to  take  heed  to  my  safety,  with  respect 
to  any  person  who  may  be  appointed  to  be  my 
guard  here.  Madam,  whether  this  man  were 
reduced  to  the  extremity  of  making  away  with 
himself,  as  some  say,  whether  his  days  were 
shortened  by  violence,  or  whether  he  was  the 
victim  of  bad  treatment,  I  have  seen  him  at 
different  times  dragged  by  force  across  the  court 
of  this  castle,  to  go  against  his  conscience  to  the 
place  of  their  worship  —  a  thing  which  might  have 
been  done  elsewhere,  at  least,  than  in  my  pres- 
ence, and  in  this  house,  which  you  have  not,  I 
suppose,  destined  to  be  a  common  jail,  if  there 
be  any  respect  for  me  who  profess  the  same 
religion.  If  such  violence  has  been  used  against 
a  poor  simple  man  purely  on  the  score  of  his 
religion,  without  allegation,  as  far  as  I  can  learn, 
of  any  crime,  his  life  or  death  being  a  thing  of 
no  profit  or  interest  to  any  one  whatever,  I  leave 
you  to  judge,  then,  what  I  may  expect  from  such 
zealots  of  puritanism  —  I,  in  whose  death  they 
have  placed  the  whole  gain  of  their  cause,  and 
the  surest  road  to  come  at  the  usurpation  of  my 
crown.  But  I  pray  you  not  to  think  that  I 
attribute  this  to  Sir  Ralph  Sadler,  as,  in  my 
conscience,  I  judge  him  to  be  an  honorable  gen- 
tleman, and  so  upright  before  God  and  you,  that 


364 


APPENDIX. 


I  am  not  afraid  of  his  knowingly  committing 
any  wicked  action. 

For  these  puritans  to  say  they  have  no  eye  to 
futm*e  hopes,  is  a  mere  fable,  under  which  they 
conceal  the  corruptness  —  the  purity,  as  they  call 
it  —  of  their  intentions  ;  which  is,  to  make  the 
monarchy  elective  for  the  time  to  come,  by  means 
of  the  present  destruction  of  your  blood,  and 
of  the  legal  succession  in  me.  I  verily  think  I 
should  not  have  been  this  day  alive,  had  you 
been  inclined  to  believe  one  of  them,  one,  too, 
who  holds  a  high  office  near  you,  [Burghley,] 
whom  the  Countess  of  Shrewsbury  once  told  me 
you  had  reproached,  because,  if  you  had  followed 
his  counsel,  you  would  have  stained  your  hands 
with  my  blood.  Calling  to  mind,  therefore,  the 
practices  tending  to  the  same  effect,  as  revealed 
to  me  by  that  countess,  and  those  w^hich  were 
set  on  .  foot  against  me  in  this  last  Parliament, 
thwarted  by  none  but  yourself,  and  also  the  secret 
conspiracy  of  the  Association,  made  to  effect  a 
general  massacre  both  of  me  and  of  those  of  my 
religion,  which  is  the  principal  object  of  this 
faction, — without  giving  themselves  any  trouble 
about  the  inconveniences  and  dangers  into  which 
they  might  precipitate  you,  —  I  supplicate  you 
most  earnestly,  madam,  to  grant  me,  on  any 


APPENDIX. 


365 


condition  whatever  without  prejudice  to  my 
conscience,  a  deliverance  out  of  this  long  and 
miserable  captivity.  In  place  of  being  sincerely 
and  faithfully  dealt  with  here,  endeavoring  as  I 
have  done  to  accommodate  myself  to  your  in- 
tentions, all  I  hear  of  are  new  retrenchments, 
orders,  and  restrictions.  These  things  would 
annoy  me  the  more,  were  it  not  for  the  entire 
confidence  I  have  placed  in  your  natural  good 
disposition,  your  promises,  and  the  hope  that  I 
have  of  seeing  them  carried  into  effect. 

I  should,  therefore,  be  glad  to  know  whether 
this  rude  treatment  and  these  restrictions  proceed 
from  your  command.  I  defy  my  enemies  to 
allege  any  thing  on  my  part  to  deserve  them. 
But  I  see  but  too  clearly,  that  so  long  as  I  remain 
in  this  country,  however  strict  a  guard  you  may 
set  upon  me,  whatever  sincerity  I  may  practise 
with  you,  however  I  make  it  a  duty  to  let  you 
see  clearly  into  all  my  actions  and  behavior  to- 
wards you,  —  in  short,  if,  as  the  saying  is,  I  were 
to  divide  myself  into  four  quarters  to  please  you, 
—  my  enemies  would  never  permit  you  to  be  in 
peace  with  me,  nor  to  receive  peace  from  you. 
To  me  will  they  impute  whatever  is  to  your  dis- 
content, not  only  here,  but  in  all  Christendom ; 
and  when  a  pretext  fails  them,  they  will  not  fail 
31* 


366 


APPENDIX. 


to  invent  one,  to  keep  you  in  perpetual  disgust 
of  me,  and  myself  in  continual  turmoil  and  ap- 
prehension. For  instance,  they  say  that  Parry 
disguised  his  wicked  design  as  being  done  in  my 
cause.  How  can  I  better  acquit  myself  of  this, 
and  of  all  such  practices,  than  by  publicly  declar- 
ing that  all  such  persons  are  my  mortal  enemies  ? 
If  the  advantageous  offers  I  have  made  you  for 
my  deliverance  were,  as  you  were  pleased  to 
acknowledge,  such  that  nothing  more  could  be 
desired,  do  me  the  honor  to  let  me  know  what 
more  you  desire  now,  be  it  even  the  deprivation 
of  all  right  to  the  succession  to  the  crown,  if  you 
think  that  this  may  be  conducive  to  your  safety. 

For  God's  sake  take  care,  that,  step  by  step, 
you  do  not  permit  this  puritan  faction  to  grow 
to  such  a  head  in  number,  force,  and  usurpation, 
that,  if  you  do  not  provide  in  time,  you  may  find 
it  no  longer  in  your  power  to  secure  to  me  either 
my  right  or  my  life.  Without  doubt,  they  will 
at  last  give  you  the  law  themselves.  Recollect 
that  in  the  book  formerly  read  to  me  by  the 
Countess  of  Shrewsbury,  they  boldly  affirm  that 
it  is  not  in  your  power  to  name  any  Catholic 
your  heir.  It  will  be  for  them,  then,  to  elect  an 
heir  by  force,  in  any  manner  they  presume ;  and 
what  is  this  but  to  compel  me,  at  last,  in  spite 


APPENDIX. 


367 


of  myself,  to  submit  to  their  mercy  both  my  life 
and  my  right  after  you  in  the  succession  to  the 
crown  ?  I  have  informed  you  that  I  was  content 
to  yield  to  you  ;  but,  happen  what  may,  I  never 
will  do  the  same  to  any  subject  of  yours.  There- 
fore, madam,  take  heed,  if  you  please,  to  whom 
you  commit  me,  while  I  await  your  resolution  as 
to  my  deliverance.  Your  own  safety  is  at  stake. 
When  they  have  me  in  their  hands,  and  at  their 
disposal,  one  great  obstacle  is  removed  out  of 
the  way. 

I  have  no  doubt  your  intention  towards  me 
is  sincere ;  I  have  no  distrust  of  your  word.  But 
when,  contrary  to  your  intention,  and  without 
your  knowledge,  my  life  shall  be  taken  from  me, 
who  will  be  able  to  repair  the  loss  ?  To  go  far- 
ther :  who  is  there  among  them  that  would  think 
he  had  done  any  thing  unjust  or  unworthy  of 
himself,  as  you  stated  in  your  last,  in  executing 
what  he  has  promised  and  sworn  in  the  Associa- 
tion, namely,  to  ruin  by  all  means  all  those  in 
whose  favor  any  thing  sliould  be  attempted 
against  your  person  ?  The  examination  of  Parry, 
who,  it  is  said,  was  once  their  spy,  will  be  of 
service  to  them  in  this  respect.  Consider  to 
what  issue  these  things  indirectly  tend ;  it  is  a 
secret,  oligarchical  plot,  masked  under  the  spe- 


368 


APPENDIX. 


cious  title  of  an  Association  for  your  preserva- 
tion. I  never  approved  of  this  plot ;  on  the 
contrary,  I  always  cried  out  against  it,  being 
bound,  as  I  repeat  it,  to  study  your  preservation, 
which  is  no  less  dear  to  me  than  to  any  subject 
you  have. 

And  here,  permit  me  to  say  freely  to  you,  and 
that  in  declaration  of  the  perfect  interest  I  take 
in  your  safety,  that  it  is  very  dangerous  for  you 
to  suffer  your  subjects  to  be  so  persecuted  and 
harassed  against  their  conscience,  solely  on  the 
score  of  .religion.  The  despau'  that  may  thence 
arise  in  the  breasts  of  many,  in  perceiving  before 
your  eyes  irretrievable  ruin,  may  produce  fatal 
and  incalculable  effects,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
poor  man  here,  if  it  be  true  that  he  made  away 
with  himself.  My  secretary  has  told  me,  that  he 
has  heard  from  your  own  mouth,  that  it  never 
was  your  intention  that  any  of  your  subjects 
should  suffer  solely  for  religion  and  conscience' 
sake.  So  long  as  this  was  observed  in  the  first 
years  of  your  reign,  you  had  great  tranquillity, 
no  person  being  charged  with  crimes  against  you. 
For  God's  sake,  madam,  keep  that  holy  resolu- 
tion, worthy  of  you,  and  of  all  those  of  your  rank. 
The  example  of  our  age  throughout  all  Christen- 
dom has  given  you  sufficient  proofs  how  little 


APPENDIX. 


369 


human  force  can  do  in  the  matter  of  religion, 
whose  spirit  is  from  above.  For  my  part,  should 
it  come  to  pass  that  an  open  attack  were  made 
upon  my  religion,  I  am,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
perfectly  ready  to  lay  down  my  neck  under  the 
axe,  and  shed  my  blood  before  all  Christendom ; 
and  I  should  esteem  it  a  great  happiness  to  be 
among  the  foremost.  I  do  not  say  this  through 
vain-glory,  as  if  I  were  at  any  great  distance 
from  danger. 

Once  more,  then,  madam,  I  beseech  you  to 
put  an  end  to  my  sufferings,  and  to  deliver  me, 
in  the  manner  it  shall  please  you,  from  this  mis- 
erable prison ;  which  I  may  now,  more  justly 
than  ever,  call  a  prison,  and  worse,  seeing  such 
deeds  committed  here.  Let  me  languish  here  no 
longer  merely  to  prolong  the  persecution  against 
me,  solely  for  having  the  honor  to  be  one  of 
your  nearest  relatives  by  blood.  It  would  be  a 
very  great  cruelty  to  make  me  undergo  so  many 
evils  because  I  have  preserved  that  honor  un- 
blemished from  my  birth.  I  wait  your  answer 
and  final  resolution,  nothing  now  remaining  but 
my  life  to  offer  you,  after  all  other  conditions 
proposed  to  obtain  my  deliverance.  Humbly 
kissing  your  hands,  I  pray  God  that  he  may 


370  APPENDIX. 

have  you,  madam,  my  good  sister,  in  his  holy 
keeping. 

Your  very  humble  and  very  affectionate 
Sister  and  cousin, 

Marie  R. 

From  TuTBURY,  (April  Sth,  1585.) 


No.  8. 

Mary  to  Mauvissiere. 

May  23,  1585. 

Believe  me,  M.  Mauvissiere,  my  enemies 
endeavor  in  every  possible  manner  to  derive 
advantage  from  the  divisions  which  they  sow 
every  where,  in  the  sam^e  manner  as  I  remember 
they  formerly  spread  a  report  that  the  queen 
mother  (Catharine  de  Pvledicis)  hated  me  ex- 
tremely, on  account  of  my  bad  conduct  and 
disobedience  to  her  while  I  was  in  France ;  and 
yet  she  lately  gave  very  good  testimony  in  my 
favor  at  audient^es  w^hich  Lord  Glasgow  and 
Lord  Seton  had  with  her.  And  I  truly  believe 
that  none  of  her  own  daughters  ever  showed 
her  more  honor,  deference,  and  obedience  in  all 
things.  Do  me  the  favor  to  thank  her,  on  my 
part,  for  the  assurances  which  she  gave  those 


APPENDIX. 


371 


ambassadors  of  her  entire  attachment  to  me  and 
my  son,  and  that  I  will,  as  long  as  I  live,  do 
my  utmost  to  deserve  it.  Entreat  her  most  ear- 
nestly to  take  care  of  my  poor  child,  and  of  my 
wretched  state. 

As  to  my  liberty,  I  wish  to  enjoy  it  out  of 
England ;  or,  if  I  consented  to  remain  here,  that 
it  should  be  more  ample  and  favorable  than  was 
proposed  last  year,  when,  in  order  to  deliver  my 
son  from  the  hands  of  the  rebels,  I  was  obliged 
to  oifer  my  person  as  security.  With  respect  to 
your  journey  to  Scotland,  I  have,  according  to 
your  advice,  appeared  rather  to  doubt  of  it  than 
to  desire  it,  in  order  that  they  may  more  readily 
agree  to  it ;  but  then  I  have  urged  that  you  might 
be  permitted  to  visit  me  by  the  way,  as  this  is 
one  of  the  principal  parts  of  your  commission ; 
and  by  this  means  could  you  not  bring  Archibald 
Douglas  with  you  ?  You  will  make  arrange- 
ments with  him  respecting  all  that  he  has  written 
to  me,  and  what  you  have  written  in  his  favor. 
Meantime,  do  you  and  he  be  on  your  guard 
against  Walsingham ;  for,  notwithstanding  all 
the  fine  speeches  which  he  makes  to  you,  I  know 
that  he  will  not  spare  me,  nor  any  of  my  friends, 
if  he  can  find  any  thing  against  me.  On  the 
condition  that  my  son  is  safe,  I  will  willingly 


APPENDIX. 


suffer  the  worst  that  they  can  do  to  me  here, 
both  in  changing  my  keeper  and  restricting  my 
liberty.  My  resolution,  therefore,  is  to  labor  by 
all  means  for  the  liberty  and  safety  of  myself  and 
son,  and  to  bring  about  a  good  understanding 
with  the  Queen  of  England.  With  a  view  to 
this  object,  we  must  direct  all  our  plans  and 
actions  to  the  satisfaction  of  Elizabeth,  in  order 
that  we  may  obtain,  under  her  protection,  the 
confirmation  of  our  right  of  succession  to  the 
crown.  However,  till  I  see  the  treaty  before  me, 
I  will  not  suffer  myself  to  be  deceived  by  idle 
hopes,  or  exalt  those  rebels  over  the  head  of  my 
son,  and  throw  him  by  their  means  at  the  feet  of 
the  queen.  In  a  word,  I  will  have  something 
in  my  left  hand  before  I  throw  away  what  I  have 
in  the  right.  And  now,  as  the  lord  treasurer 
has  received  from  me  an  answer  such  as  he 
desires,  (that  is  to  say,  resolute,  sincere,  and  un- 
equivocal,) it  is  now  his  business,  and  that  of  the 
other  counsellors,  to  show  the  sincerity  of  them- 
selves and  of  their  queen  towards  me,  who  re- 
main in  their  hands  as  pledge  and  security  for  my 
offers  and  promises,  for  which  I  can  receive  no 
equivalent  from  them ;  and  yet  I  want  something 
more  than  fair  speeches.  Nau  shall  be  ready  to 
accompany  you  to  Scotland.    *    *  * 


APPENDIX. 


373 


No.  9. 

Mary  to  Mauvissiere. 

July  lOth,  1585. 

Sir  :  I  am  happy  to  inform  you  that  my  health 
is  pretty  good,  notwithstanding  the  arbitrary 
manner  and  increase  of  rigor  with  which  I  am 
treated  by  this  warden  of  mine.  I  find  myself 
in  very  great  perplexity  in  regard  to  my  abode 
in  this  house,  if  it  be  intended  that  I  should 
pass  the  next  winter.  The  timber  work  of  the 
house,  as  I  before  told  you,  is  in  a  wetched  con- 
dition. The  wind  enters  my  chamber  on  all 
sides,  so  that  I  do  not  know  how  it  will  be  in 
my  power  to  preserve  the  little  health  I  have 
regained  during  the  rigors  of  the  coming  season. 
My  physician,  who  is  in  a  good  deal  of  concern 
on  this  point,  expressly  says,  that  he  will  give 
up  all  hope  of  curing  me  if  I  am  not  provided 
with  a  better  lodging.  While  he  watched  me, 
during  my  last  indisposition,  he  found  my  cham- 
ber exceedingly  cold  during  the  night  time,  not- 
withstanding the  stoves  and  continual  fire  there, 
and  the  warmth  of  the  season  of  the  year.  If 
such  be  the  case  now,  I  leave  you  to  judge  how 
it  will  be  in  the  middle  of  winter;  this  house 
32 


374 


APPENDIX. 


being  situated  upon  a  hill  in  the  middle  of  a 
plain  about  two  miles  in  circumference,  exposed 
to  all  the  winds  and  inclemency  of  the  season. 
There  are  a  hundred  peasants  in  the  very  village 
at  the  foot  of  the  castle  better  lodged  than  I 
am  ;  my  whole  accommodation  consisting  of  two 
small,  wretched  rooms,  and  some  closets  not  fit 
for  any  thing  (if  I  must  say  it)  but  water  closets. 
I  have  no  place  for  recreation,  no  covered  walk 
to  take  the  air  in  the  daytime  ;  in  a  word,  of  all 
the  lodgings  I  have  had  in  England,  this  is  the 
most  unhealthy  and  inconvenient.  I  ara  willing 
to  believe  that  the  queen,  my  good  sister,  will 
not  think  me  troublesome  in  making  these  re- 
monstrances, to  which  pure  necessity  compels 
me.  For  six  months  past,  no  care  has  been 
taken  to  remedy  these  inconveniences,  and  yet  I 
have  remained  silent  and  patient ;  in  testimony 
of  w^hich  I  refer  to  my  warden.  I  thank  you 
affectionately  for  the  duty  you  have  shown  in 
consoling  me  upon  the  delay  of  the  treaty  for 
my  liberty.  I  doubt  not  you  have  informed  me 
of  the  true  reasons  alleged  for  it ;  they  are  the 
very  counterpart  of  the  excuses  in  times  past  —  at 
one  time  a  revolution  in  Scotland,  at  another 
some  new  trouble  in  France,  and  then  again  the 
discovery  of  some  conspiracy  at  home;  in  a 


APPENDIX. 


375 


word,  the  smallest  incident  that  can  come  to  pass 
in  Christendom  is  converted  into  cause  sufficient. 
The  whole  thing  amounts  to  this,  —  as  the  chil- 
dren say,  —  they  will  be  content  when  every  body 
else  is  agreed. 

No.  10. 

Mary  to  Mauvissiere. 

September  23,  1585. 

Foreseeing  that  it  will  be  too  late  before  I 
receive  your  answer  to  my  last  communication, 
I  will,  without  waiting  for  it,  lay  my  just  com- 
plaint before  you,  that  Sir  Amias  Paulet,  in 
reply  to  my  memorial  respecting  my  lodging, 
attendants,  &c.,  has  delivered  to  me  an  answer 
which  is,  in  fact,  a  plain  refusal.  Although  these 
things  appear  to  my  good  sister  the  Queen  of 
England  but  trifling,  and  of  no  moment,  they 
are,  nevertheless,  of  great  importance  as  regards 
the  preservation  of  my  life  and  health,  and  of  all 
whom  I  have  left  to  console  me  within  the  walls  of 
my  prison.  I  see,  however,  daily,  that  they  desire 
to  reduce  me  to  the  utmost  extremity  ;  for  if  my 
necessities  were  not  so  urgent,  I  would  not  trou- 
ble her  with  so  many  petitions,  remonstrances, 
and  entreaties,  which  to  me  appears  paying  a 


376 


APPENDIX. 


very  high  price  for  them.  It  is  also  most  pain 
ful  to  me,  that,  in  return  for  the  duty  which  I 
have  voluntarily  imposed  upon  myself  to  submit 
to  the  queen's*  pleasure  in  all  things,  so  little  re- 
gard is  paid  to  her  honor  and  my  comfort  by  my 
present  mode  of  treatment. 

In  order  that  you  may  be  fully  acquainted 
with  all  the  particulars,  in  order  to  represent 
them  in  my  name  to  the  queen,  who,  I  believe, 
has  never  been  properly  informed  of  them,  I  shall 
observe,  first,  in  regard  to  my  lodging,  that  my 
residence  is  a  place  enclosed  with  walls,  situated 
on  an  eminence,  and  consequently  exposed  to 
all  the  winds  and  storms  of  heaven.  Within 
this  enclosure  there  is,  like  as  at  Vincennes,  a 
very  old  hunting  seat,  built  of  wood  and  plaster, 
with  chinks  on  all  sides,  with  the  uprights,  the 
chinks  between  which  are  not  properly  filled  up, 
and  the  plaster  dilapidated  in  numberless  places. 
The  house  is  about  six  yards  distant  from  the 
walls,  and  so  low  that  the  terrace  on  the  other 
side  is  as  high  as  the  house  itself,  so  that  neither 
the  sun  nor  the  fresh  air  can  penetrate  it  on  that 
side.  The  damp,  however,  is  so  great  there,  that 
every  article  of  furniture  is  covered  with  mouldi- 
ness  in  the  space  of  four  days.  You  may  judge 
for  yourself  how  this  must  affect  my  health.  In 


APPENDIX. 


S77 


a  word,  the  rooms  for  the  most  part  are  fit  rather 
for  a  dungeon  for  the  lowest  and  most  abject 
crhiiinal,  than  for  a  residence  of  a  person  of  my 
rank,  or  even  of  a  much  inferior  one.    No  gen- 
tleman in  this  country,  yea,  no  inferior,  I  am 
convinced,  would  wish  to  accommodate  me  worse 
than  themselves ;  he  would  consider  it  as  a  pun- 
ishment and  tyranny  if  he  were  shut  up  a  twelve- 
month in  such  a  habitation,  so  confined  and  un- 
comfortable as  that  in  which  I  am  constrained 
to  dwell.    I  have  for  my  own  accommodation 
only  wretched  little  rooms,  and  so  cold,  that 
w^ere  it  not  for  the  protection  of  the  curtains  and 
tapestries  which  I  have  had  put  up,  I  could  not 
endure  it  by  day,  and  still  less  at  night.    In  fact, 
there  is  scarcely  one  of  those  who  have  nursed 
me  during  my  illness,  who  has  escaped  without 
some  sickness,  fluxion,  or  cold.    Sir  Amias  Pau- 
iet  will  bear  v/itness,  that  during  this  time  three 
of  my  women  were  laid  up  at  once.    Nay,  my 
physician  himself,  who  has  also  come  in  for  a 
share,  has  several  times  declared,  that  if  I  re- 
mained in  this  house  he  could  not  undertake  the 
charge  of  ray  health  during  the  ensuing  winter. 
For  even  if  they  were  to  furbish  it  up,  or  repair 
and  enlarge  it,  I  should  never  be  able  to  live 
32* 


378 


APPENDIX. 


here,  as  there  is  nothing  on  earth  that  I  can  stand 
less  than  the  least  damp  air. 

With  respect  to  the  house  which  it  is  proposed 
I  should  inhabit  during  the  said  alterations,  it 
adjoins  that  which  I  have  described,  and  even, 
according  to  Sir  Amias  Paulet's  statement,  will 
not  accommodate  my  people.  I  have,  however, 
several  reasons  to  fear  inhabiting  such  a  lone 
dwelling,  but  will  say  nothing  respecting  it  here. 

In  regard  to  other  conveniences,  I  much  want 
an  additional  room,  into  which  I  can  sometimes 
retire,  as  I  have  no  place  where  I  can  be  alone, 
except  two  little  dark  holes  which  are  towards 
the  wall,  and  the  largest  is  scarcely  three  yards 
square.  If  I  desire  to  go  out  either  on  foot  or 
in  my  chair  to  get  a  little  fresh  air,  there  being 
no  open  space  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  I  have 
scarcely  a  quarter  of  an  acre  left  me,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  stables,  which  INIr.  Somer 
has  had  ploughed  during  the  last  winter,  and 
encompassed  with  a  wooden  fence,  and  which 
deserves  the  name  of  pigsty  rather  than  of  a 
garden.  There  is  scarcely  a  sheepfold  in  any 
field  which  is  not  more  agreeable. 

With  regard  to  horse  exercise,  the  roads  are 
so  bad,  as  I  experienced  last  winter,  from  the 
effects  of  snow  and  rain,  that  one  cannot  go  even 


APPENDIX. 


379 


a  mile  in  a  carriage,  and  I  am  at  last  obliged  to 
have  recourse  to  my  feet. 

I  must  also  acquaint  you  (though  I  am 
ashamed  to  do  so)  that  this  house  is  so*  filled 
with  the  lowest  people,  that,  notwithstanding 
every  effort,  it  is  impossible  long  to  maiiitain 
order ;  and  as  there  are  no  sewers,  I  am  ex- 
posed to  a  constant  stench,  and  when  they  are 
emptied  every  Saturday,  "  Je  ne  recoy  pas  les  plus 
plaisantes  cassolettes,''^ 

I  must  add  one  thing  in  conclusion,  and  to 
which  respect  is  paid  even  to  persons  in  an  infe- 
rior station,  especially  during  illness  :  this  place 
was  my  first  prison  in  this  realm,  and  I  suffered 
here  so  much  rigor,  insult,  and  indignity,  that  I 
have  ever  since  looked  on  it  as  wretched  and 
unfortunate,  and  wrote  to  the  Queen  of  England 
before  I  came  here.  In  this  gloomy  notion  I 
have  been  confirmed  by  the  circumstance  that 
the  priest,  after  he  had  been  cruelly  tortured,  was 
hanged  on  the  wall  opposite  my  windows,  as  I 
have  already  written  to  M.  Mauvissiere ;  and 
about  four  or  five  days  ago,  another  poor  man 
was  found  drowned  in  the  well,  though  I  will  not 
compare  this  with  the  other. 

I  have  lost  my  good  Rally  —  she  was  my  best 
comfort  in  my  misfortune;  another  of  my  un- 


380 


APPENDIX. 


happy  people  has  died  since,  and  several  still 
suffer  much  from  sickness. 

Being  destitute  of  all  conveniences  and  com- 
forts here,  nothing  but  Elizabeth's  promise  that 
I  should  be  well  treated  has  hitherto  sustained 
rrjy  patience  ;  otherwise,  I  should  never  have  set 
my  foot  into  it,  unless  I  had  been  dragged  hither 
by  force,  as  force  alone  shall  induce  me  to  remain 
here.  Should  I  die,  I  ascribe  my  death  to  this 
residence,  and  to  those  who  keep  me  here,  in 
order,  as  it  seems,  to  make  me  doubt  the  good 
will  of  the  queen,  my  sister ;  for  what  may  I 
expect  in  important  matters,  if  I  am  treated  so 
in  trifling  and  unimportant  ones,  and  faith  is  not 
kept  with  me  even  in  them  ? 


No.  11. 

Mary  to  the  Duke  of  Guise. 

October  5,  1586. 

My  good  Cousin  :  If  God,  and  you  after  him, 
do  not  find  means  to  succor  your  poor  cousin 
now,  all  is  over.  This  bearer  will  tell  you  how  I 
am  treated  by  all,  even  by  my  two  secretaries. 
For  God's  sake  assist  them,  and  save  them  if 
you  can.    They  are  to  accuse  me  of  a  design  to 


APPENDIX. 


381 


trouble  the  state,  and  of  having  laid  plots  against 
the  queen,  or,  at  least,  ot  having  consented  to 
them.  I  have  declared  what  is  true,  that  I  know 
not  what  the  matter  in  hand  is.  They  say  they 
have  seized  certain  letters  of  mine  to  one  Bab- 
ington,  and  to  Charles  Paget  and  his  brother, 
which  prove  this  conspiracy  ;  and  that  Nau  and 
Curie  have  acknowledged  to  it.  I  declare  they 
can  do  no  such  thing ;  except  they  force  them 
by  the  torture  to  declare  more  than  they  know. 
This  is  all  they  have  told  me  about  the  matter. 
But  I  know  by  means  of  letters,  that  they 
threaten  you  much,  you  and  your  league,  and 
are  strengthening  their  party  by  means  of  certain 
princes,  who  will  tolerate  their  religion.  I  have 
declared  to  them,  that,  as  to  myself,  I  am  resolved 
to  die  in  mine,  as  she  [Elizabeth]  protested  she 
would  do  for  the  Protestant.  Whatever,  there- 
fore, you  may  hear,  my  good  cousin,  by  these 
disseminators  of  false  reports,  assure  yourself, 
that,  by  the  grace  of  God^  I  will  die  in  the  Cath- 
olic faith,  and  in  firmly  maintaining  its  cause. 
The  House  of  Lorraine  know  what  it  is  to  pour 
"forth  their  blood  for  the  faith,  and  I  will  not  dis- 
honor that  house.  Cause  prayers  to  be  offered 
for  me  to  Almighty  God  ;  have  my  poor  remains, 


382 


APPENDIX. 


when  brought  from  hence,  interred  in  holy  ground, 
and  have  compassion  on  my  poor,  destitute  ser- 
vants ;  for  they  have  robbed  me  of  every  thing 
here,  and  I  lay  my  account  to  be  despatched 
with  poison,  or  some  other  such  secret  death. 
But  although  I  am  become  nearly  maimed  by 
their  bad  treatment,  my  right  hand,  since  this 
late  event,  having  so  swollen  and  become  so 
painful,  that  I  can  scarcely  hold  the  pen  or  assist 
myself  to  my  food,  yet  my  courage  shall  not 
fail  me  ;  in  the  hope  that  He  who  has  made  me 
what  I  am  will  give  me  grace  to  die  in  his  cause. 
This  is  the  only  honor  I  desire  in  this  world,  in 
order  to  obtain  the  mercy  of  God  in  another. 
It  is  my  desire  that  my  body  may  be  buried  at 
Rheims,  by  the  side  of  my  late  good  mother, 
and  my  heart  beside  the  late  king,  my  lord. 
Further  particulars  you  may  hear  from  the  bearer 
of  this.  Should  it  appear  that,  at  the  present 
time,  there  is  any  wish  to  see  me  restored,  and 
to  avenge  my  cause,  —  which  indeed  is  the  com- 
mon cause,  —  I  should  think  it  very  wonderful ; 
for  to  me  every  thing  on  this  point  seems  doubt- 
ful and  wavering.  Adieu,  my  good  cousin  ;  com- 
municate the  contents  of  this  to  my  ambassador. 
If  my  son  does  not  concur  now  in  avenging 


APPENOrX. 


3B3 


his  mother,  then  I  give  him  wholly  up  ;  and  I  beg 
that  you  and  all  my  relations  will  do  the  same* 
Your  good  cousin, 

Marie  R. 

From  FOTHEKTNGAY. 

Ko.  12. 

Mary  to  Pope  Sixtus  V. 

November  23, 1586. 

Most  Holy  Father  :  I  humbly  approach  your 
holiness,  to  ask  your  benediction,  and  to  beg 
leave  to  state  what  has  befallen  me.  The  very 
day  on  which  the  present,  I  have  been  ordered 
by  persons  sent  from  the  Queen  of  England  to 
prepare  for  death.  If  I  am  allowed  to  see  my 
almoner,  or  any  Catholic  priest,  it  is  my  intention 
to  comply  with  the  proper  forms  as  established 
in  the  holy  church.  I  have,  however,  reason  to 
fear  that  this  will  be  refused  me  ;  therefore,  lowly 
at  your  feet,  most  holy  father,  do  I  confess  my- 
self a  sinner  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  through 
your  prayers  implore  his  mercy  and  compassion 
upon  my  soul ;  between  which  and  the  justice 
of  God  I  interpose  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ, 
crucified  for  me  and  for  all  sinners,  of  whom  I 
confess  myself  to  be  the  most  unworthy,  consid- 


384 


APPENDIX. 


ering  the  graces  I  have  received,  and  which  I 
have  so  ill  employed  and  so  ineffectually  corre- 
sponded to.  This  would  render  me  unworthy 
of  pardon,  were  not  his  saving  grace  promised 
to  all  who  feel  the  weight  of  sin,  and  groan  in 
anguish  of  spirit ;  and  did  not  his  mercy  encour- 
age us  to  approach  him,  in  that  tender  invitation, 
"  Come  to  me,  all  you  that  labor  and  are  heavily 
laden,  and  you  shall  find  rest  to  your  souls." 
Then,  like  another  prodigal  son,  do  I  hasten  to 
be  received  into  his  paternal  embrace,  to  be  par- 
doned for  the  offences  of  the  past,  and  to  be  freed 
from  the  burden  of  sin.  And  here  also  do  I  ful- 
fil what  I  most  earnestly  desire ;  and  that  is,  to 
offer  willingly  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  my  life 
and  my  blood  for  the  maintenance  of  the  Catho- 
lic church  of  God,  and  in  proof  of  the  sincere 
love  which  I  bear  the  same,  and  without  the  res- 
toration of  which  I  should  no  longer  desire  to 
live.* 

*  "  She  proceeds,"  says  Dr.  Lingard,  "  to  recommend  to  the 
pontiff  the  conversion  of  her  son  to  the  Catholic  faith,  for  which 
purpose  she  wishes  him  to  employ  the  cooperation  of  the  King  of 
Spain,  the  only  prince  who  has  really  aided  her  during  her  captiAity. 
If  James  should  continue  obstinate,  she  leaves  all  her  right  in  the 
crown  of  England  to  the  disposal  of  the  pope  and  of  that  monarch. 
Should  he  repent,  she  requires  of  him  to  look  on  Philip  and  the 
princes  of  the  house  of  Guise  as  his  nearest  relatives,  and  hopes,  as 


APPENDIX. 


385 


No.  13. 

Mary  to  Le  PreaUy  her  Almoner, 

February  7, 1587. 

They  have  been  battling  with  me  to-day  on 
my  religion,  persisting  on  my  receiving  consola- 
tion from  their  heretical  teachers.  You  will 
learn  from  Bourgoin  and  the  others  that,  at 
least,  I  have  faithfully  made  protestation  of  my 
faith,  in  which  I  wish  to  die.  I  requested  to 
have  you  with  me,  to  make  my  confession  and 
receive  my  sacrament,  which  was  cruelly  refused 
me,  as  well  as  my  request  to  have  my  body 
transported  into  France,  and  free  power  to  make 
my  will,  or  to  write  any  thing  but  by  their  hands, 
and  under  the  good  pleasure  of  their  mistress. 

the  last  blessing  she  can  wish  for  on  earth,  that  he  may  marry  the 
infanta  of  Spain."  I  have  called  the  reader's  attention  to  this  letter 
for  the  follomng  reason :  For  many  years  after  the  death  of  Mary, 
it  was  believed  that,  on  the  eve  of  her  execution,  she  made  a  will,  by 
which  she  left  the  kingdom  of  England  to  Philip  of  Spain,  in  case 
her  son  did  not  become  a  Catholic;  and  that  Cardinal  Laurea  and 
Lewis  Owen,  Bishop  of  Cassano,  had  attested  that  it  was  in  the 
handwriting  of  the  queen.  This  ^ill,  however,  could  never  be  dis- 
covered. In  my  opinion  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  report 
arose  from  misconception,  and  that  the  real  will  was  this  letter ;  and 
what  confirms  this  conjecture  is,  that  at  the  end  of  it  there  is  sub- 
joined an  attestation  of  Lewis  Owen,  Bishop  of  Cassano,  that  the 
handwriting  is  that  of  Mary,  Queen  of  Scots. 

33 


386 


APPENDIX. 


In  defect  of  this,  I  now  confess  the  grievousness 
of  my  sins  in  general,  as  I  had  intended  to  do 
to  you  in  particular ;  beseeching  you,  in  the  name 
of  God,  to  watch  and  pray  this  night  with  me, 
for  the  satisfaction  of  my  sins,  and  to  send  me 
your  absolution  and  pardon  of  all  my  offences 
towards  yourself.  I  will  endeavor  to  see  you  in 
their  presence,  as  they  have  granted  me  to  do  in 
regard  to  my  chamberlain ;  and  if  that  be  per- 
mitted me,  I  will,  upon  my  knees,  in  presence 
of  all,  ask  your  blessing.  Point  out  to  me  the 
most  proper  prayers  for  this  night  and  for  to-mor- 
row morning.  The  time  is  short,  and  I  have  no 
leisure  to  write  ;  but  I  will  recommend  you  with 
the  rest,  and,  above  all,  your  benefices  shall  be 
assured  to  you,  and  I  will  recommend  you  to 
the  king.  I  have  time  for  no  more.  Advise  me, 
in  writing,  of  whatever  you  shall  think  condu- 
cive to  my  salvation. 

I  will  send  you  some  little  parting  token  of 
my  remembrance.* 

*  At  the  foot  of  the  letter  is  the  word  Remember,  which,  by  a 
singular  coincidence,  was  the  parting  word  addressed  by  Mary's 
grandson,  Charles  I.,  to  his  almoner.  Bishop  Juxton,  by  whom  he 
was  attended  on  the  scaffold. 


APPENDIX. 


387 


No.  14. 

Mary  to  the  Duke  of  Guise. 

February  7,  1587. 

My  good  Cousin  :  As  you  are  among  the 
dearest  to  me  in  the  world,  I  write  to  bid  you 
my  last  adieu.  By  the  unjust  judgment  of  my 
enemies,  I  am  upon  the  point  of  suffering  death 
as  none  of  our  race  ever  before  suffered,  and 
least  of  all  one  in  my  station.  Yet,  my  good 
cousin,  render  thanks  to  God  for  the  same.  Sit- 
uated as  I  was,  I  was  useless  to  the  world  in  the 
cause  of  God  and  his  church.  But  I  hope  that 
my  death  will  testify  my  constancy  in  the  faith, 
and  my  readiness  to  die  for  the  maintenance  and 
restoration  of  the  Catholic  church  in  this  unfor- 
tunate island.  Though  heretofore  executioner 
has  never  dipped  hand  in  our  blood,  yet  let  not 
your  cheek  redden  at  the  thought,  my  good 
friend ;  for  this  judgment  of  heretics  and  of  the 
enemies  of  the  church  —  men  who  have  no  juris- 
diction over  me,  a  free  queen  —  will  prove  accept- 
able in  the  sight  of  God,  and  profitable  to  the 
children  of  his  church.  Were  I  one  of  them, 
one  of  the  children  of  delusion,  I  should  not 
suffer  this  blow.    All  of  our  house  have  been 


888 


APPENDIX. 


objects  of  persecution  to  this  sect,  as  witness 
your  good  father,  with  whom  I  hope  to  be 
received  into  the  mercies  of  the  just  Judge.  I 
recommend  to  you  the  care  of  my  poor  attend- 
ants, and  the  discharge  of  any  debts  that  I  may 
leave  behind  me.  I  also  beg  you  to  cause  masses 
to  be  said  for  the  repose  of  my  soul,  and  to  make 
provision  for  an  annual  dirge  for  the  same  ob- 
ject; the  means  for  this  purpose,  as  well  as  my 
last  wishes  in  this  regard,  will  be  conveyed  to 
you  by  these  my  poor  helpless  attendants,  the 
eye  witnesses  of  this  my  last  tragedy.  May 
God  prosper  you,  your  wife,  children,  brothers, 
and  cousins,  and  especially  our  head,  my  good 
brother  and  cousin,  and  all  his;  the  blessing  of 
God  and  that  which  I  should  give  to  my  child 
be  on  you  and  yours,  whom  I  recommend  to 
God,  no  less  than  my  own  unfortunate  and  ill- 
advised  child.  You  will  also  receive  from  my 
people  certain  tokens  from  me,  in  order  to  remind 
you  to  cause  prayers  to  be  said  for  the  soul  of 
your  poor  cousin,  destitute  as  she  is  of  all  aid 
and  counsel  but  that  of  God,  who  is  graciously 
pleased  to  give  me  strength  and  courage  singly 
to  resist  the  wolves  that  are  howling  around  me ; 
glory  be  to  his  name  I  Mark  one  thing ;  give 
credence  to  what  will  be  told  you  by  the  person 


APPENDIX.  389 

who  gives  you  a  ruby  ring  from  me ;  I  can 
answer  for  it  on  my  conscience  that  you  will  be 
told  the  truth  of  what  I  have  directed,  especially 
as  to  what  concerns  my  poor  attendants,  aisd  the 
share  which  is  to  come  to  each.  I  recommend 
to  you  this  person  for  her  simple  sincerity  and 
honesty,  that  she  may  be  placed  in  some  good 
situation.  I  have  chosen  her  as  the  least  partial, 
and  who  will  report  my  orders  most  simply  and 
sincerely.  But  do  not  let  it  be  known  that  I 
had  given  her  any  thing  to  reveal  to  you  in  pri- 
vate ;  I  should  be  sorry  to  raise  any  jealousy 
among  the  poor  things.  I  have  suffered  much 
for  these  last  two  years,  and  more,  far  more  than 
I  have  let  you  know,  and  that  for  the  best  of 
reasons.  But  God  be  praised  for  all !  It  is  my 
parting  prayer  that  he  would  give  you  his  grace 
to  persevere  in  the  love  and  service  of  his  church 
as  long  as  you  live ;  and  never  may  this  glory 
depart  from  our  race,  that  all,  men  as  well  as 
women,  may  be  ready  to  shed  their  blood  to 
maintain  the  cause  of  our  faith,  all  worldly  con- 
siderations set  aside.  As  for  myself,  I  hold  my- 
self born,  both  on  the  paternal  and  maternal 
side,  so  to  offer  my  blood;  from  this  I  never 
have  had,  nor  have  at  this  moment,  the  slightest 
intention  to  degenerate.  May  Jesus,  who  was 
33* 


390 


APPENDIX. 


crucified  for  us,  render  us  worthy  of  the  volun- 
tary ofiering  of  our  bodies  to  his  glory,  and  to 
this  also  may  the  intercession  of  all  the  holy 
saints  and  martyrs  avail. 

From  your  affectionate  cousin  and  perfect 
friend,  Marie  R. 

P.  S.  In  order  to  degrade  me,  they  had  caused 
my  canopy  of  state  to  be  pulled  down.  I  caused 
to  be  put  up  in  place  of  my  coat  of  arms  the 
figure  of  the  crucifixion  of  my  blessed  Saviour, 
and  pointed  it  out  to  their  notice.  They  were 
more  kind  after  that.  But  of  this  and  many 
other  things  you  will  be  duly  informed.  Once 
more,  farewell ! 

Xo.  15. 

Mary  to  the  Xing'  of  France* 

Thaxks  be  to  God,  he  has  given  me  courage 
to  meet  death  without  fear;  and  with  perfect 
truth  T  protest  that  I  meet  it  innocent  of  crime. 
Even  had  I  been  an  English  subject,  I  should 
have  been  justified  in  my  attempts  to  regain 
that  liberty  which  was  withheld  from  me  by 

*  This  letter,  of  which  the  conclusion  only  is  here  given,  is  dated 
"  Wednesday,  two  hours  after  midnight." 


APPEx\DIX. 


391 


injustice.  I  die  for  the  Catholic  religion,  and 
for  maintaining  the  right  given  me  by  Heaven  to 
inherit  the  crown  of  England ;  these  are  the 
true  grounds  of  my  condemnation.  This  bearer 
and  his  companions  will  bear  witness  to  you  as 
to  my  deportment  in  this  my  last  scene.  It 
remains  that  I  beg  of  you,  as  the  Most  Christian 
king,  my  brother-in-law,  and  who  have  always 
done  me  so  much  honor  as  to  declare  that  you 
love  me,  now  to  give  me  a  proof  of  it,  by  recom- 
pensing my  afflicted  servants,  and  by  causing 
prayers  and  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  altar  to  be 
offered  up  for  a  queen  who  likew^ise  bore  the 
title  of  Most  Christian,  and  who  now  dies  in  the 
profession  of  the  one  true  Catholic  faith. 


TO  THE  PUBLIC. 


Patrick  Donahoe,  in  presenting  to  the  Clergy,  Laity,  and  Trade 
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nounce that  he  has  added  to  and  furnished  his  establishment,  situated 
21, 23,  and  25  Franklin  Street,  with  all  the  improved  steam,  mechanical, 
and  other  arrangements  necessary  to  the  most  extensive  production 
of  Books  in  all  their  varied  forms ;  and  has  now  the  honor  to  say  that 
his  establishment,  devoted  exclusively  to  the  production  of  standard 
Catholic  Works,  is  superseded  by  none  in  America. 

A  continuance  of  the  patronage  so  long  and  so  kindly  bestowed  on 
him  by  the  Rt.  Reverend  and  Reverend  Clergy  and  Laity  he  would 
solicit  to  sustain  him  in  the  endeavor  to  reproduce,  in  a  cheap  form, 
many  of  the  very  valuable  works  issued  from  time  to  time  in  Europe, 
which,  from  the  high  price  when  imported,  or  othermse,  are  out  of  the 
reach  of  the  majority  of  the  Catholics  of  America,  and  also  to  enable 
him  to  extend  and  bring  out,  at  a  small  price,  the  copyright  works  of 
American  T\Titero.  . 


D0\A1I0E'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  IRISH  SETTLERS 

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DONAIIOE'S  rUBLICATIONS. 


THE  TRIALS  OF  A  MIND  IN  ITS  PROGRESS 

TO  CATHOLICISM.  In  a  Letter  to  his  old  Friends.  By  L.  SlL- 
LIMA.N  IvKS,  LL.  D.,  late  Bishop  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
in  North  Carolina.    12mo.,  cloth,  oO  cents. 

Opinions  of  tlie  Press. 

The  book  is  every  way  equal  to  what  was  expected.  It  is  well  written,  ar- 
gumentative, and  convincing  ;  and  no  one,  we  think,  seeking  truth,  can  read  it, 
following  step  by  step  the  progress  of  Dr.  Ives's  mind,  without  being  convinced 
of  the  iuiportatit  truths  he  is  led  to  investigate.  We  are  glad  to  hear  it  is 
lueeling  with  an  unprecedented  sale,  as  it  will  be  the  instrument  of  much 
good.  We  earnestly  recommend  it  to  our  readers  and  all  those  inquiring  after 
truth.  —  Pittsburg  Catholic. 

This  long  and  eagerly-expected  publication  has  at  length  reached  the  West. 
The  delay  in  forwarding  it  arose,  as  we  learn  from  a  note  of  the  publisher,  out 
of  the  iniinense  and  unprecedented  demands  for  it  wliich  are  reacliiug  him  from 
all  parts  of  the  country,  and  v,iiich  several  printing  presses,  kept  in  constant 
play,  have  as  yet  been  ineflective  to  supply.  The  typography  of  the  work  ia 
extremely  creditable  to  Mr.  Donahoe,  the  enterprising  publisher.  On  this  point 
he  has  left  the  reader  nothing  to  desire,  either  as  respects  clearness  and  bril- 
liancy of  impression,  or  the  neat,  compact,  and  convenient  form  in  which  tho 
book  is  presented  to  the  public. 

Of  the  merits  of  the  work  itself  we  presume  we  need  not  speak  at  length, 
after  the  specimen  of  its  style  and  manner  which  we  gave  last  week.  Written 
in  a  tone  of  rare  modesty  and  translucent  candor,  it  still  does  not  lack  that  vigor 
and  purity  of  style,  deep  research,  cogent  reasoning,  and  simple,  touching  elo- 
quence VA'hich  might  be  expected  from  the  reputation  for  erudition  and  mental 
force  which  Dr.  Ives  always  had  among  his  co-religionists  up  to  the  period  when 
he  resolved  upon  the  rending  sacrifice  of  which  this  volume  fui-aishes  the  rea- 
sons. Its  publication  will  show  the  desperate  falseness  of  the  allegation  by 
which  the  ex-bishop's  friends  endeavored  to  account  for  his  conversion,  and 
which  it  is  probable  themselves  never  believed.  The  Protestant  Churchman, 
we  observe,  in  lioticing  the  work,  says  it  "  should  like  to  see  those  bishops,  who 
pronounced  Dr.  Ives  mad,  vndertahe  to  refute  tliis  book." 

This  book  will  ])robably  have  a  larger  sale  than  any  controvei'sial  work  ever 
published  in  tliis  country.  The  copies  for  sale  at  the  office  of  the  Vindicator  are 
already  nearly  all  gone  ;  but  a  further  supply  will  soon  reach  us.  —  Detroit  CatJi- 
olic  Vindicator. 

Protestant  Opinions. 

The  Newport  (R.  I.)  A'ews  thus  criticizes  the  book  :  —  "  This  will  be  a  work  of 
exceeding  interest  both  to  Catholics  and  Protestants,  as  Dr.  Ives  gives  his  rea- 
sons for  leaving  the  Episcopal  Church  and  entering  the  Catholic  Church.  In 
whatever  light  Protestants  may  regard  this  change  in  the  religious  opinions  of 
the  autiior,  they  certainly  cannot  charge  him  with  any  ambitious,  dishonest,  or 
unholy  motive,  because,  as  far  as  distinctions  on  eartii  are  concerned,  he  had 
gained  all  that  man  can  have  in  the  ministry,  as  far  as  preferment  is  concerned 
in  the  Episcopal  Clnirch.  He  was  one  of  its  bishops  for  more  than  twenty 
years  ;  and,  in  entering  the  Church  of  Rome,  he  acquires  no  distinction.  He, 
being  a  married  man,  cannot  ever  be  a  priest  in  that  Church.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, we  think  that  all  nmst  at  least  give  him  credit  for  honesty  and  sin- 
cerity in  the  course  which  he  has  pursued.  The  work  is  carefully  and  elabo- 
rately written,  and  indicates  throughout  the  fervency  of  a  Christian  spirit.  Wa 
commend  it  to  the  perusal  of  all  Cliristians,  that  they  may  fully  comprehend  the 
motives  which  induced  the  step  which  the  author  has  taken,  and  the  reasons 
whicli  led  him  into  the  Catholic  Church." 

This  is  a  plain  and  lucid  statement  of  the  difficulties  which  beset  the  mind 
of  Bishop  Ives  during  his  niuiistry  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  of  the  satis- 
faction that  he  has  felt  since  his  union  with  the  Church  of  Rome.  He  has 
given  the  highest  evidence  of  the  sincerity  of  his  convictions,  whatever  our 
opinion  may  be  of  their  soundness.  A  bishop,  loved,  honored,  and  respected, 
he  has  sacrificed  position  and  fortune  in  the  pursuit  of  what  he  believed  to  be 
the  truth.  Being  a  person  of  learning,  also,  not  misled  by  a  partial  view  of  the 
question,  his  book  commands  the  calm  investigation  of  every  mind  solicitous 
for  tile  truth.  —  PhUa.  City  Rem. 


DONAHOE'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


THE  CROSS  AND  THE  SHAMROCK;  or,  How 

to  Defend  the  Faith.  An  Irish-American  Catholic  Tale,  descriptive 
of  the  temptations,  sufferings,  trials,  and  triumphs  of  the  Children 
of  St.  Patrick  in  the  Great  llepublic  of  Washington.  A  Book  for 
the  entertainment  and  special  instruction  of  the  Catholic  Male  and 
Female  Servants  of  the  United  States.    12mo.,  cloth,  50  cents 

Opinions  of  the  Press. 

A  simple  but  touching  record  of  the  trials  and  temptations  to  which,  too  often, 
the  Irish  Catholic  is  exposed  on  arriving  in  the  Great  American  Republic.  But 
ths  faith  which  has  supported  him  in  so  many  trials  at  home,  which  has  been  a 
lamp  unto  his  feet  and  as  a  staff  in  his  hands,  fails  him  not  here.  The  "  Cross 
and  the  Shamrock  "  triumph  over  the  assault  of  man  and  devil,  of  Protestant 
poormaster  and  Evangelical  philanthrophist  —  the  latter  the  worst  devil  of  the 
two.  Of  the  former  we  have  a  specimen  in  Van  Stingey,  —  a  Yankee  Mr.  Bum- 
ble,—and  quite  a  gem  in  his  way  ;  but  our  limited  space  forbids  us  to  make 
extracts.  We  have  nuich  pleasure  in  recommending  this  little  work  to  out 
readers.  —  Montreal  True  Witness. 

The  author  of  this  excellent  tale  is  evidently  an  earnest  man.  Impressed 
with  a  strong  sense  of  the  wrongs  which  the  poor  Irish  at  service  too  often  en- 
dure, he  has  aimed  to  depict  these  in  such  a  manner  as  may  excite  the  attention 
of  careless  employers,  and  point  out  to  the  sufferers  themselves  the  rewards  of 
patience  and  perseverance.  The  characters  are  very  well  sketched,  though  the 
incidents  recording  them  are  not  very  artistically  arranged.  The  book  is  a  prize 
to  our  Irish  Catholic  readers,  notwithstanding  its  little  defects  of  form.  —  CatA- 
olic  Telegraph. 

LOSS  AND  GAIN;  or,  the  Story  of  a  Convert.  By 
the  Very  Reverend  John  Henry  Newman,  D.  D.,  Rector  of  the 
Catholic  University  of  Ireland,  &c.    12mo.,  cloth,  50  cents. 

We  were  in  England  when  this  work  first  appeared,  and  well  remember  the 
sensation  it  caused.  The  former  friends  of  Mr.  Newman  were  greatly  scandal- 
ized as  well  as  offended  by  it.  It  proved,  they  said,  such  a  deterioration  on  his 
part.  TJiat  he  sliould  absolutely  jest  at  the  ecclesiological  and  liturgical  foppe- 
ries of  their  party,  astounded  them.  They  could  never  believe  Newman  would 
sink  so  low.  We  knew  one  young  man,  who  had  been  a  great  admirer  of  Mr. 
Newman,  who  wrote  an  answer  to  the  twenty-seven  questions  which  Willia 
Bent  Reding.  He  was  going  to  publish  the  answer  in  the  English  Churchman, 
we  believe  ;  but  somehow  one  or  two  points  were  not  quite  clear  to  him,  and 
he  reserved  the  paper  till  he  had  examined  them  a  little  further ;  he  pursued  the 
examination  till  he  became  a  Catholic.  There  never  was  a  livelier  or  truer  pic- 
ture of  any  state  of  society  than  "  Loss  and  Gain  "  gives  of  the  university  clasa 
in  England.  Dealing  largely  in  satire,  it  has  the  great  merit  of  absolute  freedom 
from  exaggeration,  and  is  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  wittiest  stories,  and  the 
most  devoid  of  malice  that  ever  was  i)enned.  It  is  addressed  to  a  very  high  order 
of  mind  —  too  high  for  mere  popularity;  but  it  will  gain  admirers  forever,  we 
should  think ;  yes,  even  when  it  is  itself  the  only  relic  (like  Fielding's  novels  in 
profane  liteiature)  of  the  social  state  it  Ae^cxihes.  —  Metropolitan  Catholic  Mag- 
aiine. 


DONAHOE'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


DONAHOE'S 

NEW  AND  IMPllOVED  EDITIONS  OF 

Itfluhrii  Cntiinlir  ^km]n  fduh, 

Being  the  cheapest,  most  comprehensiTe,  and  suitable  assortment  for 
general  use  published  in  the  United  States. 


The  new,  superior  Prayer  Book.,  recommended  to  be  the  most  useful 
over  printed,  entitled 

St.  Joseph's  Manual. 

Printed  with  large  type,  on  fine  paper,  containing  696  pages,  18mo. 
Beautifully  illustrated. 

The  merits  of  this  Book,  among  the  many  which  liave  been  published  as  well 
in  Europe  as  America,  are  its  peculiar  adaptation  to  the  wants  of  families,  as  of 
individuals,  for  public  as  well  as  private  devotion  ;  for  those  who  live  remote 
from  Churches,  and  cannot  be  present  at  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  on  Sun- 
days and  Ilolydays,  as  for  those  who  enjoy  greater  privileges.  It  may  be  styled 
a  volume  of  prayer  and  religious  instruction,  since  it  not  only  contains  devotions, 
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many  points  where  information  is  frequently  sought  after.  The  care  and  attention 
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Treasury  of  Prayer. 

21mo.    668  pages.  Illustrated. 

The  London  Catholic  Standard  says  of  tliis  work  :  Wo  have  been  much  pleased 
with  tliis  excellent  Praj  er  Book,  which  appears  to  us  one  of  the  most  perfect  yet 
published,  and  whicli  reunites  many  features  not  found  in  former  publications  of 
the  kind.  Tlie  occasional  prayers  are  aduiira!)ly  selected  ;  for  instance,  we  find 
one  '  for  a  merchant  or  trader,'  another  '  to  obtain  the  spirit  of  prayer '  another 
*  for  grace  to  conquer  our  i)asriions,' another  to  be  used  '  after  a  day  cl  toil.' 
There  are  also  prayers  used  by  various  holy  persons  ;  for  instance,  those  of  St. 
Bonaventure,  St.  Augustine,  St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  St.  Ignatius,  &,c.  j  the  pr<nyer 
of  Solomon  for  wisdom,  the  prayer  of  Manasses,  of  Jonas,  of  Job,  &c.  There 
are  several  litanies,  hymns,  visits,  and  special  devotions.  The  forms  of  examina- 
tion of  conscience  strike  us  as  remarkal)!y  practical  and  wisely  composed.  'J'here 
are  numerous  instructions  suited  to  the  young  and  to  converts,  which  make  it  a 
book  suitable  for  spiritual  reading  as  well  as  j)rayer  j  and  the  points  of  doctrine 
disputed  by  Protestants,  such  as  the  Real  Presence,  Confession,  &c,,  are  headed 
with  proofs  from  Scripture." 

The  Dublin  Tdegrajih  sa^  :  This  is  a  most  elegant,  complete,  and  compen- 
dious companion  to  the  Holy  Altar.  In  addition  to  the  devotions  contained  in  the 
ordinary  book  of  prayer,  we  have  here  the  Devotions  of  the  Bona  Mors,  Visits  to 
the  Blessed  Sacrament,  Devotions  of  the  Month  of  Mary,  Devotions  for  the  Forty 
Hours'  Exposition  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  together  with  the  Way  of  the  Cross; 
and  all  this  in  so  convenient  and  agreeable  a  size  and  shape  as  to  be  easily  placed 
in  a  lady's  pocket.  The  title  is  well  bestowed  ;  fur  it  is,  indeed,  a  Treasury  of 
Prayer,  and  a  complete  library  of  practical  piety." 


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Roan,  full  gilt   60. 

Roan,  full  giJt,  clasp,   75. 

Turkey,  extra,   1  25. 

Turkey,  exti-a,  clasp,   1  75 

Velvet  clasp,   2  50 

Velvet,  full  mountings   4  00 


DONAHOE'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


CATHOLIC  EOOKS  FOR  THE  POOR, 

IN  A  SERIES  OF  VOLUMES. 


The  Young  Christian's  Library, 

OR, 

f ites  0f  €mm\i  faints  ani  Stttauis 

COMPILED  FEOM  AUTHKN'TIC  SOUECES. 

Price  only  tliree  cents  eacb. 

■■  Every  Number  of  this  beautiful  collection  will  be  complete  in  itself, 
and  -wiii  contain  the  Life  of  a  Saint,  embellished  \rith  a  splendid  en- 
graving.   The  following  volumes  are  in  preparation :  — 


Vol.  1.  Life  of  our  Blessed  Redeemer. 
Vol.  2.  Life  of  the  Blessed  Virgin. 
Vol.  3.  Life  of  St  James  the  Apostle. 
Vol.  4.  Life  of  St.  Anne,  Mother  of 

the  Blessed  Virgin. 
VoL  5.  Life  of  St.  Bernard. 
Vol.  6.  Life  of  St.  Clare. 
Vol.  7.  Life  of  St  Philip  Neri. 
Vol.  8.  Life  of  St.  Philomena. 
Vol.  9.  Life  of  St.  Anton  v. 
Vol.  10.  Life  of  St.  Monica. 
Vol.  11.  Life  of  SL  Augiistine. 
Vol.  IQ.  Life  of  St.  Elizabeth. 


Vol.  14.  Life  of  SL  Theresa. 
Vol.  15.  Life  of  St.  Laurence  OToole. 
Vol.  16.  Life  of  St.Catharine  of  Sienna. 
Vol.  17.  Life  of  Blessed  Peter  Claver, 
S.  J. 

VoL  18.  Life  of  St.  Bridget,  Patroness 

of  Ireland. 
Vol.  19.  Life  of  St.  Patrick,  Patron  of 

Ireland. 

Vol.  20.  Life  of  St,  Mary  Magdalene. 
Vol.  21.  Life  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul. 
Vol.  22.  Life  of  St.  Winefride. 
Vol.  23.  Life  of  St.  Francis  Xavier. 
VoL  24.  Life  of  St.  Columbkille. 


VoL  13.  Life  of  St.  Columbanus. 

Each  volume  of  this  series  will  contain  thirty-two  pages,  32mo.f 
printed  in  the  best  manner,  on  fine  paper. 

Beads,  Scapulas,  Gospels,  Crosses,  Holy  Water  Fonts,  Pict^i-es, 
aaoevery  article  used  by  the  devout  Catholic,  "constantly  on  hand. 


# 


Ill 

3  9031  01214109  9 


NOTCIRCDLATE 


BOSTON  COLLEGE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  HEIGHTS 
CHESTNUT  HILL.  MASS. 

Books  may  be  kept  for  two  weeks  and  may 
be  renewed  for  the  same  period,  unless  re- 
served. 

Two  cents  a  day  is  charged  for  each  book 
kept  overtime. 

If  you  cannot  find  what  you  want,  ask  the 
Librarian  who  will  be  glad  to  help  you. 

The  borrower  is  responsible  for  books  drawn 
on  his  card  and  for  all  fines  accruing  on  the 
same. 


